Countless messages have been preached about sowing and reaping. From Jesus’ parable of the sower to Apostle Paul’s admonition in Galatians 6:7. The message is clear, “Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” This principle should not be restrained to just the seed sown but should also include the bread that is produced by the seed. The Principle of the Seed AND Bread teaches us the priority God places upon His provisions in our lives. It is vital that we properly prioritize the provisions God blesses us with so we can reap the blessings He has promised.
The principle is revealed to us in 2 Corinthians 9:10 (New Living Translation), “For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.” Notice how God prioritizes the seed first and then the bread.
Seed is for the future. In farming, seed represents a future crop. In finance, seed represents money invested for future expenses, either your own expenses or those of another individual, ministry, or program. Seed is about surviving tomorrow.
Bread is what is consumed today. It is not designed to be saved for long periods of time. In finance, bread represents food, utilities, rent/mortgage, car payments, credit card bills, Starbucks, or any of the myriad ways money is spent on a daily basis. Bread is about surviving today.
It is interesting to see that God prioritizes seed over bread. He provides for our future and then provides for our present, yet our appetites often reverse the order. We can become too concerned with surviving today and fail to trust God with our tomorrows. The kind of house we want to live in, the cars we drive, the amount of coffee we drink, and the clothes we buy are driven by our personal appetites. Our personal desires cost money, and many are willing to go into debt to satisfy their appetite. Many also delay saving for retirement because they are too busy satisfying today’s appetite. An undisciplined appetite for material things is how debt turns seed into bread. The fastest way to die of starvation is to eat all your seed.
What do you see when you see your paycheck? Do you see it all as bread to be consumed? Or do you see the seed also? The money you earn should be seen as seed AND bread. Every dollar is not designed by God to be consumed. Tithes, retirement plans, and emergency savings accounts should be viewed as seed. Remember, whatever gets consumed can never be sown. Taking time to create a personal budget to divide the seed from the bread will ensure you are treating your provisions as God would have you to.
The second part of 2 Corinthians 9:10 shows us more of God’s will concerning provisions. “In the same way, He will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.” Again we see the “and then” principle. God will provide you with resources and then produce a harvest of generosity. If you are a wise steward with the resources God blesses you with, He promises to produce a harvest in you… a harvest of generosity, which may actually sound counter-intuitive. When we think of a harvest, we tend to think of more seed for ourselves, but that’s not what the Word says. God wants to bless us to become more generous.
Proverbs 11:24 (NLT) declares, “Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything.” It is God’s desire to mold us into vessels that pour out freely to others. When we recognize that God truly is our source, we become more willing to give whatever we have because we know He will supply more according to His will.
The promise we read is that God will increase our resources. Resources extend far beyond money to include time and talents. How generous are you with your time, talent, and treasures? Although this article may seem to focus on money, let’s not forget the value of time and talents. Investing your time is a way to sow seed into someone else’s life. Offering your talents for use in the kingdom of God helps further the work of the kingdom. If we are diligent to sow the seed of all our resources, God will be faithful to increase whatever resources He deems necessary.
The principle is clear: God wants to provide seed AND bread. He wants to provide resources AND help us be generous. May we apply this principle and watch God do more than we can imagine through our lives and within the kingdom.
Rick Lovall
Rick Lovall is a dual-career pastor serving The Sanctuary of Sikeston. He also serves the UPCI Loan Fund as a Loan Consultant. He and his wife, Kelby, have two sons, Easton and Parker. Rick and his family enjoying having #familyfundays…days set aside for making memories together.