As Paul encouraged the Corinthians to give, he reminded them about the need to be generous, joyfully sharing and relying on God's abundant grace (2 Corinthians 8:9). Firstly, generosity. Paul uses a proverb based on farming experience. (Proverbs are descriptions of what often happens, not prescriptions for what must happen; but the principle is generally true). If you sow more you are likely to reap more. A frightened farmer may be reluctant to invest but his stingy attitude to sowing seed will result in a reduced harvest.

Secondly, giving should be a glad act of freewill sacrifice (1 Chronicles 21:24). If somebody is compelled, or reluctant to give, the gift is meaningless. The value of a gift is not in its content, but in the donor's desire to give (Mark 12:41-44). The Lord looks on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7); He understand motives (Proverbs 16:2) and is delighted as we demonstrate our good desires. Those who first delight in the Lord (2 Corinthians 8:5) will find that He will give them good desires and sustain their motivation (Psalm 37:4).

Thirdly, God never deserts givers. He blesses the people who desire His will, and He always fulfils His promise to provide for all who trust in Him and not in their wealth (Luke 18:28-30). God does not wish to reduce our capacity to serve Him because we have given away some of our assets (Hebrews 6:10). He gives all we need so that we can serve Him more. As we become less dependent on what we possess, to become more dependent on the Lord, He gives us an increased capacity to do what is right (Psalm 112:9).

These verses simply mean, give freely to the Lord and He will honour your desire to work with Him. However, they have sometimes been used wrongly to force believers into giving, with the promise that the more they give, the more they will get back. Hoping for prosperity, some have given all their possessions so that they will get much more in return. Their motive is not to serve the Lord or work with Him but to gamble their assets, desiring selfish gain. Others are glad to give to the Lord and yet, sadly, they are manipulated by false teachers quoting these verses, so that the teachers and their empires benefit. Loving money and loving the Lord are opposites (Luke 16:13-15). The cure is to give away what holds you back from Jesus (Mark 10:21-23). And for those who do love Him - give with a glad heart.