As it is written: “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” 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. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

These verses follow the statement that he who sows generously will also reap generously. There is a powerful principle here that has to do with God’s blessing that comes as we are generous to give. My dad always said to me, “You can’t outgive God!” God will always be faithful to bless as people put Him first in their finances.

But these verses could be expanded to define the harvest of righteousness in such a way that we can invest in people by sowing seeds of life giving words and loving actions that will lead people into a relationship with Jesus. To be ‘made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion’ still sounds like it specifically refers to financial blessing in order to give to others from our resources. But I see here that there is a generosity that we can give in terms of our time, our words, and our prayers.

These challenging words about giving generously move me to make sure that I am fully obeying the Lord in how He wants me to give of myself to people in terms of time, counseling, encouragement and prayer. There are many ways in which I can sow seeds of His Word, His love and His encouragement.

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving we will be having a Community Thanksgiving Eve Service at Westwood Christian Assembly as we join at least three other churches for a worship service. We will give an offering that night in the service which will go to the White Center Food Bank to help feed the less fortunate in our community.

But as I read these verses today, I am reminded that I need to keep coming to the Lord and ask Him if there are other ways that I can be generous. I need to be generous with my time, my words of encouragement to others and in praying for people who desperately need important changes in their lives.

Father God, thank You for how richly you have blessed me and my family. I set my heart to be generous with your blessings. Lord Jesus, help me to draw deeply from the resources of heaven as I go deep in your Word and in prayer. From quality time spent with You I trust that you will deposit important things into my heart and spirit so that I can bless others with your love and power. Show me how I can grow in trusting You so that I can be used as a resource for your Kingdom and for those in need.