Day 250
Song of Solomon 5:1-8:14; 2 Corinthians 9:1-15; Psalm 51:1-19; Proverbs 22:24-25
One Great ROI
I will never forget the day I learned the acronym “ROI.” I was in middle school and my father had just taught me the concept of a Return On Investment (ROI). I made a vow to invest all I had and everything else that I would earn until the age 21. I kept that vow for a month. The return was too small and slow. I had short term vision and was completely focused on me, myself, and I.
In Paulʼs letter to the Corinthians, he uses imagery of a farmer planting seed. If the farmer plants much seed, he will stand to harvest a huge crop. However, if instead he plants little, he will harvest little. In this agricultural metaphor, Paul is telling the church at Corinth to sow with huge generosity. When we sow seeds in the Kingdom of God, sometimes we reap material benefits, at other times the benefits are spiritual, and other times both. All we are promised while on earth, however, is the Holy Spirit.
Our giving should come from an outflow of our response to the generosity of Godʼs blessings on us. In other words, our generosity should imitate the abundance of blessings which God has showered on us as His beloved. As we give more, He enables us to increase our sowing. It is His delight that we are cheerful in our devotion to giving.
As the sower gives generously God guarantees that the gift will increase and the Kingdom of God will benefit. That is One Great ROI!
Todd Hare