“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 enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to the Lord” (2 Corinthians 9:10-11).
John Piper writes, “God gives his people money so that we can use money in a way to show that money is not our God.”
The text today teaches us several things about wealth.
First, God “will increase and enlarge the store of seed.” God will give us more than enough. Why does God give us more than enough to take care of ourselves and our families?
Second, the text tells us that God gives us more than enough so that we “can be generous on every occasion”. God gives us more than enough so that God’s people can be engaged in God impacting the world.
Why doesn’t God just distribute his wealth to others? Because when the church is leading the way in the ministry of compassion and generosity, it “results in thanksgiving to the Lord.”
God is not against God’s people having things. In fact, God is not against God’s people having much. What God is against is when things have us. The plan for God’s people is the tithe. Look, if you need to upgrade your television, go for it. If you need to upgrade your car, go for it. But, make sure you have given God his tithe first. After you have dedicated your tithe to God, go ahead and upgrade your tv or car or laptop or phone or whatever. But the problem arises when you upgrade your things at the expense of God’s tithe.
God is not against you having stuff. God is against stuff having you. Got it?
Praxis: Faith in Action 