Enlarge the harvest of your righteousness
2 Corinthians 9:10 - By gifting God’s blessing to you to others who need a similar blessing, He will make sure that you continue to reap the benefits of your work and harvest even more in the future.
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“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.”
2 Corinthians 9:10 NIV
After a short sojourn in the Biblical wisdom literature, we’re now poised to study one of the Pauline epistles, this one from Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. The entire ninth chapter of this epistle focuses on generous giving, so many have probably heard sermons based on the letter during “giving campaigns” at their churches. Paul’s writing was ably assisted by Timothy, who was with him in Macedonia in 55-56 AD when the epistle was written.
Much of verses 6 through 15 uses the metaphor of sowing and reaping to demonstrate that where we put the bulk of our efforts determines the results. This is true both in spiritual and material investment — someone who chooses to “sow” into a retirement account for many years “reaps” the benefit of security when they’re no longer working. Likewise, being generous to those in need and in support of the living body of Christ — the Church — provides rewards both now and in eternity.
Paul starts the verse with is a prayer acknowledging God as the ultimate supplier of everything: “Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food“. Whatever we have that we can give to the church or others was originally given to us by God. God is not only giving the Corinthian Christians resources that they can use to give to others, but He will continue to “supply and increase your store of seed”.
That’s a promise from God that He will reward the “cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7) by further enriching their lives so they can be even more generous in the future. Throughout the Bible we see examples of God giving greater gifts — and responsibilities — to those who are faithful stewards of His provision.
The seed that is sown — the giving by the Corinthian Christians — eventually produces a harvest, which Paul refers to here as “the harvest of your righteousness.” Paul’s prayer here is a plea to God to increase the harvest that grows from their giving.
Precept Austin’s Bruce Hurt quotes The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible (POSB) with commentary about 2 Corinthians 9:10 —
POSB has a pithy comment - This is a striking truth: the believer receives so that he can give. This means that no believer has an excuse for hoarding and keeping back more than he needs. God did not give it to him to keep back. God gave it to the believer to meet the desperate needs of the world. This is an earth-shaking truth, for it means that all the believer has is to be given. (ED: JOYFULLY. WILLINGLY.) It is not to be kept. He is only a channel through which God sends His blessings to the world. To keep back more than what one needs is stealing—not only stealing from the desperate of the world, but stealing from God. Giving sacrificially depends upon one thing: believing, truly believing, that God is able to take care of us—that God will provide the necessities of life and bless abundantly.
The next time you are asked to give to support church or a Christian charity, don’t roll your eyes or hide your wallet. By gifting God’s blessing to you to others who need a similar blessing, He will make sure that you continue to reap the benefits of your work and harvest even more in the future. That harvest most likely won’t come to you as a windfall of cash or valuable prizes, but keep in mind that you’re in line for the ultimate reward — eternal life!
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Father in Heaven, thank You for being the one “who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food”. I pray that You continue to supply and multiply the seeds of time, talent, and treasure that I sow, to the ultimate goal of increasing the harvest of righteousness. I trust in Your provision, and pray that You bless the work of my hands and the seeds I sow. May those seeds bear much fruit and bring glory to Your name. AMEN.