Sow and Grow
 
“Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” –2 Corinthians 9:6 (NIV)
 
To the uninitiated, basketball appears to be a rather disorganized sport. Everyone runs up and down the court, back and forth in circles and sprints. They do, however, have plays. One of the few that I personally understand from other sports is the “give and go.” You give someone the ball and then you go toward the basket. They pass back to you, and you shoot. Let me suggest a play that we desperately need to execute more often in our lives: the “give and grow!”
 
In 2 Corinthians 9, we’re encouraged to sow generously for the prosperity of other people (vv. 1-5, 12), the provision of our needs (vv. 8-10), and the praise of God (vv. 11-15). Its simple mathematics: sparingly = sparingly; bountifully = bountifully. Its rudimentary agriculture: if you plant a lot of seed, you can expect a large harvest…and vice-versa. Which would you rather have? As families we can sow with our time (daily and periodic investments), talents (the gifts, skills, and abilities God’s given us), treasure (financial and material resources), testimony (the story of God’s grace and power in our lives), and temple (the bodies God has blessed us with). That’s a lot of material to execute the “give and grow!”
 
Paul says that generous sowers “will be made rich in every way so that [they] can be generous on every occasion” (v. 11a). What an eye-opener! Our wealth isn’t given primarily to expand our
 
luxury but to enable our generosity. Everything that God has given  you  (and  that’s  everything  you  have!)  is  a  divinely ordained opportunity for sacrificial sharing. We should all have a supply of stickers that read, “Opportunity!” Imagine placing them on everything God puts in our lives: our house, paycheck, car, business, etc. Each thing is an opportunity to express faith, praise, love, kindness, and more.
 
As we come to expect in Scripture, there’s a reward for seizing these opportunities, a bountiful harvest—whether here or in heaven (cf. Luke 6:38). Although we don’t“give to get,” with such lavish compensation, isn’t it time we stop asking, “How much should I give?” and start asking instead, “How much should I keep?” Even when it’s tough, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Gal 6:7-9)!
 
For Discussion: Have you grown by giving (the “give and grow”)?
 
Family Activity: Write “Opportunity!” on several post-it notes, discuss its meaning, and put them around the house, on yourselves, etc.