2 Corinthians 9:10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.
In the latter portion of second Corinthians, Paul centered much on the subject of generosity. He explicates that in this generosity cosmos, seed is paramount.
Our theme scripture states that God provides (or supplies) seed for the farmer — which in this case is you — and then bread. The wisdom to carry is that for every monetary increase, part of it is seed and the other is bread.
For every… !
What’s seed? Seed will be the money you plant or sow, to allow for the next harvest of the same thing. Seed could be tithe. Seed could be offertory or just a portion you’ll give back to the poor, or someone in need.
It’s foolish then, to think that if you receive some cash it is all entirely bread!
Genesis 8:22 states that seedtime and harvest will never cease as long as the earth remains. As long as the earth remains; not as long as you have enough cash.
Bread is that which we’ll consume. This consists of our needs, cares, bills, etc. Seed is the savings. The investment. The 20% Joseph told Pharaoh of.
In the case that you have to clear a debt, or have an urgent matter, it’s understandable when for a particular portion you don’t have seed allowance. But when this wisdom settles in you, you’ll find it so hard to ignore its conviction when the next lot of cash comes in.
However, remember this is principle. God says He’ll increase your harvest. No farmer expects a harvest without sowing. Afore, Paul explains that he who sows abundantly will reap abundantly. (2 Cor 9:6)
It’s this seed that comforts me when I seem to be low financially. I remind myself that I sowed recently. And I’m conscious that as I sow on the next income, however small it is, God will — still of it — ensure that I have some bread left (for my consumption), as long as I don’t compromise on the seed part of the equation.
Some of us set apart of the seed (waiting for Sunday to take it to the temple), but something comes up, and we run quick to dig it up and spend it. Don’t dig up in doubt what you sowed in faith!
Remember one seed can sprout more than 100 seeds. You’d rather endure its death hoping for its multiplication, as opposed to eating it and long waiting for a miracle which you can’t be sure when it’ll show up. We must also learn to sow at different times, so that as you sow today, you’re harvesting seed you sowed in June, just like you were harvesting seed of March in June.
If you only sowed in January, well, you’d be starving now. And let’s remember that as we sow, we are doing so to different soils and different seeds. It’s all money, but like we have yellow beans, white beans, maize seeds — the money seed is of different types.
You’d sow cash today that will give you a harvest next week while what you sowed two weeks ago will come to maturity in a month. This is because different seeds have divers ‘gestation’ periods. This is why the preacher in Ecclesiastes 11 tells you to; Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
Simpler versions say; Send your grain (seed) across the seas, and in time, profits will flow back to you. But divide your investments among many places, (seven or eight — give to as many people as you can) for you do not know what risks might lie ahead. [Brackets mine]
Watch out for the ‘divide … among many places.’ This is equivalent to sowing different seeds & different grounds & different currencies — giving to God, giving to parents, giving to the poor, giving to that loved one or friend in need.
Time is also seed. Time awarded to you daily through life each new day also comes with seed and bread. There’s time to ‘eat life’ as my fellow Ugandans would say. I’d consider that bread. That’s where we enjoy movies or long naps or ice cream or just ‘chillin’. Seed is when we convert time into value and get paid in return. Those who invest time in growing their skills or marketing or networking reap a harvest of higher value, wider market and exposure. Those who invest the seed of time in (or with) God (through prayer and His Word) reap a harvest of longer life, of wisdom, of understanding and — especially — of purpose and fulfillment…
Those who sow time by seeing others — spending time with them, will find that others will as well take time out to check on them. This falls under the principle of generosity as Proverbs 11 states; that as one refreshes (waters) others, he himself (or herself) shall be refreshed or watered.
Have you sowed the seed of time? Or have you squandered it all? …
At this juncture, I commit you and your seeds to God, who’s able to remind you and to give you the grace to sow wisely especially when times are hard. For eating what’s meant to be seed as bread is like aborting your babies whilst praying to God for grandchildren! The answer is with you, and yet you might think God is not giving ear to your petition!
Happy sowing!
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Ecclesiastes 11:6 In the morning sow your seed, And in the evening do not withhold your hand; For you do not know which will prosper, Either this or that, Or whether both alike [will be] good.
Psalms 112:5,9 A good man deals graciously and lends; He will guide his affairs with discretion. He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever; His horn will be exalted with honor.
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