2 Corinthians 9:6-7 -- On Planting Generosity and Goodness

"But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver."
2 Corinthians 9:6-7


This sounds like what is being sown are gifts or acts of generosity to others. Going back to the previous chapter, Paul explains "For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: / But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want..." (2 Corinthians 8:13-14), and then later in this same chapter God explains that God blesses us when we bless others: "Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness" (verse 10) and clarifying as well that these are blessings for giving to the poor (verse 9), those saints in want (verse 12), and for what we give to all (verse 13). I actually also love verse 14, because it talks about some of the blessings coming because those that we have helped are praying for us.

Back to these verses though, I love the idea of sowing gifts and goodness to others. Today, let's cheerfully go out there and do good and give, not expecting anything in return, but planting the seeds for more goodness in the world, not just reaping that return for ourselves from God and others, but also paying the goodness of God forward, praying sincerely for others, and doing our part to fill the world with goodness and not evil or cruelty.

Let's repent of our short tempers and our harshness, and work harder on our generosity, and on planting good everywhere. As we do, we can trust that God will multiply our efforts and that all that goodness that we plant will not only catch up to us, but expand far as we all join in with God to take care of each other.