- SOAP -

Gift of Giving

Scripture

2 Corinthians 9:6, NLT

"Remember this--- a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop.

But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop."

Observation

Do you think that everyday a farmer wakes up excited to go to work on his farm?

Absolutely no!

No one wants to work under the scorching heat.

No one wants to work while a tiny droplets of sweat is upon your head.

Yet, the farmer still plants even when he is tired, distracted, stressed-out, or in even a deep grief.

The farmer plants in spite of his own feelings.

Why is that so?

First, the farmer plants by faith, not by feelings.

Second, the farmer knows and understand the law of harvest:

You will not reap everything when you doesn't sow anything.

And everything starts as a seed.

A seed is anything that you give away for the benefit of others.

According to Rick Warren:

"When you give away your money, there's value to that.

When you give away your time, there's value to that.

When you share your experience to help other people, there's value to that.

When you give your love away, there's a great value to that."

To reap a great harvest, you must plant generously in faith.

There are no shortcuts to blessing.

Whatever you decided to sow, will grow and bear fruit.

Matthew 7:17, NLT

"A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit."

Your words can also be a seed that you may plant in other people's mind. So you need to choose your words wisely.

That's  the law of sowing and reaping.

If you sow criticism, you are going to reap criticism.

If you sow kindness, you are going to reap kindness.

You will always reap more than you sow.

Take a look on a seed of corn kernel:

When you plant a seed of it on the ground, you don't get one kernel back. 

You get a whole stalk!

You will always get more back--- postive or negative -- of whatever you put in life.

Application

So, I am asking you today.

What kind of seed are you planting in your relationships?

Are you planting a seed of trust or are you planting a seed of distrust?

Are you planting seeds of kindness or are you planting seeds of crankiness?

Are you planting seeds that build up or are you planting seeds that tear down?

Remember: You will reap what you sow.

Prayer

Lord, please forgive us for being selfish and wanting more for ourselves.

Help us to plant a good seed to others.

Help us to be content on whatever you have given to us.

Please give us the desire to take interest for the welfare of the people around us.

Thank you for You generously enriched us in every way so that we can be a blessing to others.

Help us to give enthusiastically not grudgingly for you said that-- You love a cheerful giver.

We honor you. We love you. We give back all the praises to Your Name, alone.

In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.

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The next entry is a devotional testimony from Rick Warren about the power of giving. - ThisGirlCanWrite