The Investment Principle

“Remember this: the person who sows sparingly will reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously.” (2 Corinthians 9:6 CSB)

Money is the context of Paul’s words in this text. He was going to Corinth, and while there he would receive an offering the Corinthians had promised to give him to take to the poor of Jerusalem. He wrote ahead and sent messengers ahead to ensure that the offering would be ready, so that the Corinthians would not be put on the spot.

These words, however, have a much broader application. This is a fundamental life principle: sow sparingly, reap sparingly; sow abundantly, reap abundantly. The meaning is clear: what you get out of something depends on what you put into it.

Consider a few brief examples. How far a car will go depends on how much gasoline is put into the gas tank. Put in a gallon, you get 30 miles. Put in 10, you get 300 miles. How much someone learns in a class depends mainly on how much effort is put forth in study. How good an athlete becomes depends mainly on how much time, effort, and training is put forth. How much harvest is reaped depends mainly on how much see the farmer sowed. Output depends on input.

Whatever endeavor you are part of today, remember this principle: sow sparingly, reap sparingly; sow abundantly, reap abundantly.

Father, Most of us prefer abundance. Help us to understand this principle and apply it today to whatever we are part of, for Your glory. Amen.