Plant the Seed for the Need

Come with me to a dusty field of dirt. Now imagine turning over the land as you dig into the ground. Shovel a shallow hole and bend down close to the dark soil. Then drop a few seeds. Use your palm to brush dirt over what you have sown. Spread some water over the land. Then wait. Trust that the seed will sprout. Expect a return from your labor.  This hoping to reap what you have sown is what farmers do everyday. This is the same that happens when you help others.  

Investing to receive is just normal.  It is not wrong to give something in hopes for a return.  

The Lord wanted a family so He gave His only Son.  Farmers plant in order to gain a harvest.  When you give time or money you should expect a return that is running over.  If you have a need, just plant a seed. 

Such thinking isn’t selfish, its actually spiritual.  Proverbs 19:17, “Kindness to the poor is a loan to the Lord and He will give a reward to the lender.”  This passage promises a reward directly from the Almighty when you loan to the poor. Notice the concept taught in this verse: you don’t give to the poor, you actually loan to them. A loan is paid back plus interest.

Now understand that the return may not come with flashing lights as a direct response. More often than not, what you receive from planting seeds by helping others returns over time and in a much different form. Fruit doesn’t usually look like the seed it was born from.  Kindness today will bounce back eventually. It may take days or even years.  You will probably never be able to pinpoint from where your blessings today are rooted. 

When you choose to help others the Lord will choose to help you. The poor, the widow, the orphan, the sojourner, and the needy are all special to God’s heart.  Giving to them is like making a loan to The Lord and He will not default on his promise to pay. 

Act on today’s Proverb by looking for someone to help.  As you plant the seed you eventually receive back more than you can imagine.