WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GIVE
2 Corinthians 9:8-12 CSB
8 And God is able to make every grace overflow to you, so that in every way, always having everything you need, you may excel in every good work. 9 As it is written:
He distributed freely;
he gave to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.
10 Now the one who provides seed for the sower and bread for food will also provide and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way for all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.
This entire chapter has to do with giving. Paul is writing to the church at Corinth regarding their promised gift for the believers in Jerusalem. The chapter is short but worth reading again. There are some good things that are activated when generous, cheerful giving takes place.
Paul clearly states that giving is just like sowing seeds. Sow a little and reap a little. Sow generously and reap generously. And when you sow with a cheerful heart, God is able to make grace come your way. Some translations say grace abounds to you. The CSB says grace overflows to you. Any way you look at it, grace in abundance is coming. And when God’s grace comes your way, it causes you to have an abundance; everything you need for every good work. This is not the workings of a wild-eyed media evangelist; this is God’s word. But the underlying theme is that in sowing, there is reaping so that more good can be done. God knows how to bless His people, but the blessings are not just to help us but to enable us to bless others also. This is the message of verse nine. Giving freely and giving to the poor are acts of righteousness. And not only are they righteous, but they are eternal. Giving has eternal value.
When you give, God, who supplies seed for sowing and bread for food, gets involved. He provides and multiplies the seed you have sown and increases the harvest of your righteousness. I am not totally confident with describing what the harvest of our righteousness means. But increase sounds good. And harvest is good. And righteousness is good. So it’s all good. If you have some insight, shoot me an email.
I do understand being enriched in every way for all generosity. The blessings of God will enrich your life. And God’s blessings do not come with heartache and sorrow. We can all think of people who have been enriched, but it wasn’t in a good way. And ruined relationships and poor health were often the price paid. God enriches those who give generously so they can continue to give generously. This is the blessed to be a blessing way that God’s kingdom operates. And please don’t get hung up on the word enriched. People hear the word rich and think of the old TV show Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. This is more like having everything you need to provide for your needs and having plenty left over to be generous.
The final things that happen when you give are twofold. People have their needs met. And God receives thanks. The giving that Paul was referencing in this chapter was giving that impacted the believers in Jerusalem. When they received the gifts, it helped them, and they expressed thanks to God. You can still give directly to help those in need. And that causes direct expressions of thanks to God. And you can give to the church and ministries which meet the needs of those organizations, but it still causes thanks to God. For example, your giving to The Ark helps us partner with local ministries, missionaries, local outreaches, and online and TV broadcasts. People are being helped, and thanks is given to God. I am sure only heaven will reveal the extent of what your giving did while you were here on earth.
What happens when you give? It’s a win, win, win situation. You are blessed. People are helped and blessed. And God receives the thanks. A chain reaction of good things starts when you give out of a generous heart.
PRAYER
Thank You, Lord, for enabling me to sow seed into Your kingdom. Thank You for the harvest and enabling me to continue to be generous. I give You all the thanks and praise!