Be A Family

Some people seem to have all the luck.

They don't seem to be afraid of taking risks, and as a result, they have tremendous success in just about everything.

Why is that?

The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. - 2 Corinthians 9:6

In today's reading, Paul gives us a simple explanation.  Those who plant more seeds get more fruit.

Duh.  That's so obvious, isn't it?  In other words, luck has nothing to do with it.  It's all a numbers game.  The more you do, the more you get.

Simple.  End of lesson.

But wait.  That doesn't always work, does it?

According to Paul, the more we invest in God's kingdom, the more He will provide for us to keep the wheels in motion, so we can provide more.  It is a perpetual motion machine that sounds great in spiritual terms, but what does it mean in real terms, like in giving away my money?

When I think of the metaphor Paul uses of the sower and reaper, I realize there is more to the equation than meets the eye.  The seeds don't grow without some work.  The soil needs water and tending to, and it helps to keep pests away.

I have a neighbor who has a real problem with pests eating his vegetables.  If he's not out there every day tending to his garden, he will have nothing to reap come harvest time.

So, how do we tend to God's garden?  Do we simply give everything we have away and hope He sends another truckload of stuff so that we can live and scatter seeds another day?

I know I have a hard time doing that, and I'm sure I am not alone.

It boils down to trust, doesn't it?  I want to trust that God has my back, and will keep the game going if I start playing, but what if He doesn't?

There must be something we can do to have the assurances we need to let go and let God, as the expression goes.

Maybe we can get out there and share what we are doing with others.  There's safety in numbers, we're told, so getting more people involved in the process might help.

I think what tends to happen is we seek to be good stewards alone, offering a small portion of our lives up to God and to those in need, believing that it is gone forever, that the river flows one way.  What we get in return is a good feeling or a sense of value, which is great, but it doesn't put food on the table.

But what if we band together with others who can not only add to the effort, but help us make it through the tough times, when we are in need.  Wouldn't that increase the level of confidence in God's plan?

Paul wanted the people of the church to know that they can do it together, and together they can survive and grow.  This is not about individual investments in a volatile market.  This is about sharing with our brothers and sisters.

It may seem radical, even socialist, but it is what families do, isn't it?

All Paul is saying is be a family.