Cast It!
Kingdom giving is not carefully calculated. It is actually not even sensible. It is beyond our logic. Earthly thinking would say, for example, “Give safely and fairly - not beyond what is reasonable, for you would not want to take a loss.” Compared to that kind of logical, safe thinking, Kingdom giving looks absolutely reckless and dangerous! Kingdom giving doesn’t even consider what kind of return it will get. It just 'carelessly' throws Good wherever it goes! Outrageous!
Just look at the Cross. Here you have Jesus absolutely giving it all, without the guarantee, from a human perspective, of any kind of ‘return’. What if, after He laid it all out there, no one responded? That was the ultimate risky giving. And He set the example.
Ecclesiastes teaches us this same kind of lesson, but with a promise at the end of it.
“Cast your bread upon the waters, For you will find it after many days.”
Ecclesiastes 11:1 NKJV
http://bible.com/114/ecc.11.1.nkjv
Other translations use the word grain (seed) instead of bread in this passage.
In so many words, it's saying: Give without too much thought. Just cast it. It's not tit for tat, or I'll give only when I know I will get something back. No. Just throw it! Cast it! Grab it by the handfuls, bucketfuls, dumpsterfuls! Give and give generously. For in faith we know that when we give, we are lending to the Lord (Proverbs 19:17) and will indeed receive a return and 'find it after many days'. There will be a harvest on anything we throw out there! Our money. Our time. Our labor. Our talents. Our kindness. Our forgiveness. Our encouragement... Whatever it is that you are able to cast - Cast it! Cast it fearlessly. For at the end of the Day, we will reap a harvest. We will 'cash in'. And it is then that we will see plainly, that our giving wasn't so risky after all. For we will receive back everything we gave, and then some!
"You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you, don’t fight back against someone who wants to do harm to you. If they hit you on the right cheek, let them hit the other cheek too. If anyone wants to sue you in court and take your shirt, let them have your coat too. If a soldier forces you to walk with him one mile, go with him two. Give to anyone who asks you for something. Don’t refuse to give to anyone who wants to borrow from you. “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies. Pray for those who treat you badly. If you do this, you will be children who are truly like your Father in heaven. He lets the sun rise for all people, whether they are good or bad. He sends rain to those who do right and to those who do wrong. If you love only those who love you, why should you get a reward for that? Even the tax collectors do that. And if you are nice only to your friends, you are no better than anyone else. Even the people who don’t know God are nice to their friends. What I am saying is that you must be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
Matthew 5:38-48 ERV
http://bible.com/406/mat.5.38-48.erv
"If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord - and he will repay you!"
Proverbs 19:17 NLT
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Galatians 6:7-10 NKJV
http://bible.com/114/gal.6.7-10.nkjv
Just look at the Cross. Here you have Jesus absolutely giving it all, without the guarantee, from a human perspective, of any kind of ‘return’. What if, after He laid it all out there, no one responded? That was the ultimate risky giving. And He set the example.
Ecclesiastes teaches us this same kind of lesson, but with a promise at the end of it.
“Cast your bread upon the waters, For you will find it after many days.”
Ecclesiastes 11:1 NKJV
http://bible.com/114/ecc.11.1.nkjv
Other translations use the word grain (seed) instead of bread in this passage.
In so many words, it's saying: Give without too much thought. Just cast it. It's not tit for tat, or I'll give only when I know I will get something back. No. Just throw it! Cast it! Grab it by the handfuls, bucketfuls, dumpsterfuls! Give and give generously. For in faith we know that when we give, we are lending to the Lord (Proverbs 19:17) and will indeed receive a return and 'find it after many days'. There will be a harvest on anything we throw out there! Our money. Our time. Our labor. Our talents. Our kindness. Our forgiveness. Our encouragement... Whatever it is that you are able to cast - Cast it! Cast it fearlessly. For at the end of the Day, we will reap a harvest. We will 'cash in'. And it is then that we will see plainly, that our giving wasn't so risky after all. For we will receive back everything we gave, and then some!
***
"You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you, don’t fight back against someone who wants to do harm to you. If they hit you on the right cheek, let them hit the other cheek too. If anyone wants to sue you in court and take your shirt, let them have your coat too. If a soldier forces you to walk with him one mile, go with him two. Give to anyone who asks you for something. Don’t refuse to give to anyone who wants to borrow from you. “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies. Pray for those who treat you badly. If you do this, you will be children who are truly like your Father in heaven. He lets the sun rise for all people, whether they are good or bad. He sends rain to those who do right and to those who do wrong. If you love only those who love you, why should you get a reward for that? Even the tax collectors do that. And if you are nice only to your friends, you are no better than anyone else. Even the people who don’t know God are nice to their friends. What I am saying is that you must be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
Matthew 5:38-48 ERV
http://bible.com/406/mat.5.38-48.erv
"If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord - and he will repay you!"
Proverbs 19:17 NLT
Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Galatians 6:7-10 NKJV
http://bible.com/114/gal.6.7-10.nkjv
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