A Matter of Bounty

2Co 9:5 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.
2Co 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

God's Word is a Book of promises. Literally hundreds of guarantees can be claimed by the contemporary believer, but the one we read about today is a matter of bounty, that is, large, liberal giving and receiving.

Obviously, our wonderful God is a bountiful Lord, lavishing glory and beauty upon His creation, grace and provision upon His re-creation.

According to the promise, we are recipients of largess when we disperse largess, but when we are cheap, we are rewarded in like manner. It is the cyclical law of God that we call the sowing and reaping. It is our option whether the scale is miniscule or massive.

Do we wish to go through life open-handed or tight-fisted? Do we want to be a conduit or funnel? There are Galilee Christians and then there are Dead Sea Christians.

The Sea of Galilee teams with life, abundance and activity as it takes in from above and generously releases on its southern end. The Dead Sea, however, takes in and takes in, but never gives out. Therefore it is, well, dead! It is the lowest spot on earth, there is no life in, on or above its stagnant waters.

I opt to be a blessing to God's word, to missionaries, to the needy and claim God's promise of blessings back on me so I can bless again. What would the world be like if everyone made this choice?

Freely ye have received, freely give.