You don’t have to be a farmer to understand what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian church when he said, ‘Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each person should give what she/he  has decided in her /his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.’

A picture is worth a thousand words and Paul is painting a masterpiece.   He reminds us of what any smart farmer knows;  in order to produce a bountiful harvest, he has to plan for it, plow it, plant it, and then pick a peck of produce. He also knows what to expect from what he sows. A few seeds will not produce a bumper crop.

Author Randy Alcorn writes in his book, Money, Possessions and Eternity;   ‘Are you eager to plant God’s money in the field of a world that needs Christ?   Does the thought of giving to what will count for eternity make your spine tingle?   Does storing up treasures in heaven make your heart leap?   If we understood the out-of-this-world returns on our investments in others, we’d join the Macedonians and beg for the privilege of giving.’

Just imagine what God can do when we, as a church, sow generously.