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•6还有一点：“少种的少收；多种的多收。”7各人要随心所愿，不要为难，不要勉强，因为　神爱乐捐的人。

保罗使用大自然中的一个简单的真理来鼓励我们。你种多少就会收多少。我还记得60年代的一项农业方面的数据。当时我父亲在农场里种植玉米的时候，大约每英亩种植18,000粒种子。如果每英亩能收获2700公斤玉米，他会感到很自豪。今天农民如果每英亩的收获没有超过5400公斤，他们会觉得没什么值得炫耀的。为什么会有如此大的差别？最主要的差别是，今天每英亩播撒40,000粒种子，远超过当年的18000粒种子。现在种植的行距要远小于过去的行距。

保罗说多种的多收。当耶稣说圣殿里的寡妇奉献了她最后两个小钱的故事时，我们没有听到故事的结局。她回家后就死了吗？我迫不及待想在天堂继续听到她的故事，但我觉得她没死。我想当她喜乐的献上最后的两个小钱时，上帝会以她意想不到的方式供应她。在我们给予的时候，我们不必害怕冒险，因为上帝一定供养我们。

这也是我们发自内心的乐意奉献的原因。对我们的逻辑思维来说，如果我们的奉献超过了所谓的“安全”线时，那是非常不明智的。但在我们心里，我们知道，我们花在自己身上的钱往往是浪费和损失，但如果我们奉献给救主，那是在他的国度里投资，是永远也不会损失的，总是会带来各种意想不到的祝福。就像农民一样，我们尽可能多的撒种，我们也相信上帝会祝福我们乐捐的心。

祷告：主耶稣，请赐给我一颗乐捐的心，不去计算付出的多少，而只去计算我在你的国里与你同工所带来的祝福。阿们。

2 Corinthians 9: 6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  (NIV)

Paul uses a simple truth from nature to encourage us. You reap what you sow. I don’t know why I remember this little piece of data from the 1960’s, but when my father planted corn, he planted about 18,000 seeds per acre. He was proud if he got a hundred bushels to an acre. Today, farmers don’t brag unless they get over 200 bushel an acre. What’s the difference? The main difference is that today they plant 40,000 seeds per acre. They plant in rows 20 inches apart and not 38 inches apart.

Paul says that whoever sows generously will also reap generously. When Jesus told the story about the widow who gave her last two copper coins, we don’t hear the end of the story. Did she go home and die? I can’t wait to hear the rest of that story in heaven, but I don’t think she died. I think that God provided for her in ways that she didn’t even imagine when she gladly gave up her last two coins. We don’t have to be afraid to go out on a limb when we give, because God will provide for us

That is one reason we can cheerfully give from the heart. It may not make sense to our logical mind to give more than we think is “safe” to give. But in our hearts, we know that what we spend on ourselves is often wasted and lost. What we give to our Savior is invested in his kingdom and never lost. Like the farmer, we sow our best and we trust that God will bless our generosity.

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, give me a generous heart that does not count the cost, but only the blessing of being partners with you in your kingdom.  Amen.