Faith & Finance Fridays
Reflect • Commit • Equip • Apply

2 Corinthians 9:6-8
Thanksgiving for an Abundant Harvest

Reflect: What Are We Sowing?

“Now I say this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows generously will also reap generously.Each one must do just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace overflow to you, so that, always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.” – 2 Corinthians 9:6-8

There’s a correlation here to the Malachai passage we explored last month. On the surface, Malachai was berating the temple priests for robbing God of His tithe. As we dug deeper, it led us to a deeper discovery: that tithing means more when it’s given joyfully. These lines from 2 Corinthians 9 take joyful giving a step further, exploring the relationship between generosity and thanksgiving.

“Now I say this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows generously will also reap generously.” – 2 Corinthians 9:6

Paul isn’t telling the Corinthians that if they won’t have an abundant harvest if they only plant a few seeds. No one needs to be a farmer to understand that. Nor is he even addressing a group comprised only of farmers. In one seemingly simple statement, Paul conveys a multi-layered message about both what we sow and how we do it.

On the one hand, we can look at this in a semi-literal sense. We may not be farmers, but we all have jobs. Our work product is our sowing and our harvest the money we earn. We also relate to the metaphor in this passage. We may not be sowing crops, but we are sowing something: deeds. Paul’s lesson finds a parallel in the Gospel of Luke. We’ve heard of the so-called “golden rule.” Before it became a pop saying, Jesus preached it: “Treat people the same way you want them to treat you.” – Luke 6:31 

These two quotations together present a very clear picture. Every bit of good we put into the world or do for others are our seeds. And good has a way of creating more good which will eventually make its way back to us. As Paul goes on to say: “And God is able to make all grace overflow to you, so that, always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.” – 2 Corinthians 9:8

Paul’s message invites us to reflect also on how we sow, a point that comes across clearly in: “Each one must do just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” – 2 Corinthians 9:7

When we sow with gratitude, we cultivate generosity and an appreciation for what God brings into our lives. However, when we sow with envy or disingenuousness, those attitudes influence what grows from our interactions and decisions.

Let’s take this week to reflect on the following:

• Do we view our work simply as a means of accumulating more, or do we recognize it as one of the ways God provides for our needs? 
• What drives out spending decisions: contentment and appreciation for what we have, or envy and greed? 
• Does our spending reflect our values? Are we supporting companies that share those values? 
• Can we appreciate the security that financial preparation provides without becoming consumed by the desire to accumulate more? 
• Does our approach to saving leave room for generosity? And do we approach generosity as an opportunity to bless others, or as an obligation
• Are we willing to share what we have without expecting something in return?

Reflection Question:

As we sow, are the attitudes we bring to our financial decisions are producing the kind of fruit we actually want to see in our lives?

Next Week:

This is just the beginning of our exploration into 2 Corinthians 9:6-8. Join us next week as we take a hard look at what it means to commit to cultivating a grateful heart.