A lot of times, deception is subtle.
God has helped to lift the veil from my eyes with regards to false teachings. As I recall – or am made aware and convicted of – false teachings and statements, I will list them out.
“You get what you give.”
I now realize how popular this phrase is within “prosperity gospel” teachings. Be careful of anyone who tries to plant the idea that “the more you do for others,” the more that very thing will be returned to you. Also beware of those who state that your financial generosity or tithe will garner you larger financial blessings.
We should and are mandated to be loving and kind. We are instructed to forgive. We should be generous. We should prioritize God with our time and with our finances.
But it is just not true that we will reap exactly what we sow. Like many verses, 2 Corinthians 9:6 is often misused. I will link a text from BibleStudyTools.com which explains this well. Because this verse is misused, the subsequent teaching often manipulates people into expecting in-kind blessings from their good works. (And, yes, many of our works are actually good. But our true motive speaks to our heart posture.)
So, let’s break down a few things:
1. We are to love and be kind because God shows us an incredibly fulfilling and redeeming love through Christ. It is also His main commandment to us: Love God, Love your neighbor. (Mark 12:30-31) When we love others, it is pleasing to Him and others get to experience a taste of God’s love through us.
That said, it is no guarantee that other loving souls will enter our life simply because we are loving. In fact, many types of personalities and spirits will be attracted to the light in us. To generate a loving circle, we are to stay in prayer, exercise discernment and lovingly correct (or cut off) harmful behavior. And – what I am now learning is that – since there are different forms of the word “love” in the Bible, the charge to love other Believers is different than the way we are to love our enemies. We need to search Scripture to understand what love looks and feels like so that we don’t get conned into showcasing (or inviting in) a false, fleeting or potentially dangerous counterfeit love.
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2. We are to forgive because God forgave us. And Jesus very seriously commands us to. It does not mean that we have to keep everyone in our life; but we do need to genuinely forgive.
However, our forgiving others, does not guarantee that we will be granted the same forgiveness by those in our life.
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3. We are to prioritize God, and be generous – or helpful – toward others with our finances. (I love to tithe, but I realize that’s actually a deeper conversation, so I will just leave it at “prioritizing God” for now.)
We are also to prioritize God, and be generous toward others with our time and attention.
That being said, we aren’t to be reckless with our finances, our time or our attention. We should have self-control and be good stewards of the provision God gave us. Then – after we’ve prioritized God and taken care of our household – we are to be generous and of service to others.
This does not guarantee that others will showcase that same level of generosity to us. And we should always be in prayer – and have discernment – as we’re serving others. Ultimately, you want to be generous, while also pointing to Christ. You should want people to develop their own relationship with Him; viewing God as the source of their help – not you.
OK – so now that we know what not to expect from our good works and properly-postured hearts, we can focus on what we can expect.
Well, good works don’t save us, but – if our hearts and motives are in the right place – then we are storing up spiritual blessings. This is what is meant by “Storing up treasures in Heaven.” So that would be something to look forward to!
But, during this lifetime, we are also rewarded. God rewards us on earth with strengthened faith and clarity. He allows us to hear from Him more clearly, as guided by the Holy Spirit. We experience greater internal joy, focus and work ethic. We become more disciplined which may better our physical, mental and emotional health. Our spiritual obedience gives way to practical obedience which allows us to see tangible and intangible increases and blessings.
The tangible blessings are typically the “common grace blessings,” I’ve been learning about. Common grace blessings (health, wealth) are not solely reserved for Believers. God can bless and heal anyone. (Likewise, any of us can suffer a trial.)
So, let’s paint the picture…
Let’s say that you are faithfully studying the word and learning about how to live more fully for the Kingdom. Now you start showing up to work in a more loving manner, behaving in ways that Jesus has taught. You’re not partaking in office gossip or slander and you are focusing fully on your job duties. Essentially, God drew you toward spiritual discipline which prompted practical discipline. Now, you’re not only in the position to possibly receive a financial increase (a “common grace blessing”), but you are also positioned to connect with people on a level which is pleasing to God. He may draw people closer to you so that you may, at some point, share the Gospel with them.
No matter what comes of it, God is the one who rewards you. And His blessings are not necessarily “in kind.” Sure, sometimes He will replenish exactly what you’ve given. But, you are not guaranteed to “get what you give.” In fact, many times, the blessing you receive from doing His will is something you could have never anticipated.
Any increase you receive – material or immaterial – should get attributed back to God since He is the one who allowed it to enter your life.
Another note:
Though we certainly don’t abandon our unbelieving friends and family – we should be motivated about surrounding ourselves with other true Believers. If we, as Believers, all have the same mindset of showing up for others – not to gain something from them, but to simply live out God’s commands – we will naturally find ourselves surrounded by people who can help us (in some way) in times of need.
And, there’s something I noticed…
I, personally, have plenty of friends who are not Believers who would do so much for me – sometimes even when I haven’t asked. As Believers, we should exude that same behavior. Unfortunately though, many of us are too lacking in knowledge about how we’re supposed to show up for others. Or, we’re not truly in a position to be generous in a way that’s consistent, genuine and joyful.
We need to start praying for stability. Spiritual, emotional, physical, mental and financial stability. Then, we need to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us in practical steps so that we may get our household in order.
There are plenty of tools that can help us to get on track; we just may have to modify them so that they align with Scripture. We need to create a budget. We need to take some time to rest, which can include self-care. We need to commune with our friends and enjoy some of the beautiful things God has placed on this earth for us to experience. All this after, first, prioritizing our wonderful Heavenly Father.
Lexzie in Christ 