Seed and Bread

This Sunday I listened to my pastor deliver a sermon that was incredibly inspirational and useful. He read a scripture from 2 Cor 9 and I happened to notice a verse just below the one he referenced.

• Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. 2 cor 9:10-11.

This is a great verse which explains God's plan for providing for us. However, the first part of verse 10 just jumped off the page to me, "He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food". When we are experiencing lack in our lives we need to take a look these two separate areas: what you have to give for a purpose and what you have to sustain you.

Easy to discern and apply in the financial realm of our lives, right? Just check the credit card account balance, are you using more that what you have to sustain you (e.g bread for food)? Check your tax return, are you giving enough for a specific purpose (sowing): church, charity, gifts, etc.

We can also apply these same principles to the other areas of our lives. When I feel overwhelmed and exhausted it might just be because I am spending too much time on either the sowing or sustaining part of my life. Maybe I have over committed myself to volunteering at church or school and not enough time reading my bible, working out or just resting. Or, the converse can be true too, I am using all of my emotional and time resources on myself and not giving enough to others. Is my husband cranky and my kids wild beasts? Maybe I need to spend some time at home just chilling with my peeps. Do I feel tired and my skin looks bad? Maybe I need to get to the gym and devote some time to myself (when was the last time I breathed fresh air, anyway?).

It can be a delicate balancing act, but one in which God is involved as He notes here in verse 10. Don't eat your seed, don't neglect your personal needs either.

As we near Mother's Day, every mother can take something from these wise words from our Lord. Keep the balance - what you say no to will probably lead to more success than what you say yes to. Take care of yourself, but give yourself away too. Find that balance between the two that provides peace for you and your home.