But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.As it is written:
“He has dispersed abroad,
He has given to the poor;
His righteousness endures forever.”
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 Corinthians 9:6-11
This was one of the passages attached to the reading yesterday from the devotional The Book of Mysteries. It was shared that the Sea of Galilee receives water from the Jordan River and then the water flows out. The Sea of Galilee always gives what it receives from the Jordan River. And as a result, life springs forth. The Dead Sea also receives water from the Jordan River, but it only receives the water and it never gives out. Due to the high salt content and there not being any flow from the water, limited things grow there.
It is easy to see the scripture in light of harvest financially, Yes, I have seen that when I give financially, it is given back to me. God has met my needs and generally my wants as I have been faithful to sow into His kingdom and into causes that I feel led to support. I want to see the Kingdom grow from giving, that is why I love to support even where I may not go.
As I read this yesterday, I thought about how it plays out in so many others areas of life. There are many things that flow into my life, not just finances.
I have the fruit of His Spirit. The law of reciprocity, is a principle in social psychology, suggesting that people feel obligated to return favors or kindnesses they have received, leading to a natural tendency to reciprocate actions or behaviors. Once again, psychology is just starting to catch up with what the Bible has taught. When we pour something out of our life, it generally comes back to us. Sometimes from the person we are pouring into, but often times from others. God can use anyone or anything to bless His children. When I am loving, others are more loving to me. I open myself up to receive more of His love and accept love from others. When I am joyful and share it with others, more joy comes into my life. When I have peace, it exudes from me and more peace comes into my life. When I am kind to others, kindness comes back to me. When I am good to others, others are good to me. The more I exercise self-control, the more self control I have in other areas. I reap in my life, what I have sown in the life of others.
When I have received knowledge – through education or even personal study, I open myself up for capacity of more learning. I have been blessed to have amazing teachers of the Bible pour into my life, and the more I share what has been planted in my life, the more it grows in my life. There are things I share regularly with others from things that I have learned both in my career and in my spiritual life, and it deepens my knowledge and how it plays out in my life and how I share it with others. I reap in my life, when I pour out what I have learned into others.
When I plant seeds of serving, I have seen service come back to me. It looks different, but it is there. When I plant seeds in the heavens through prayer for others, I see God answer my prayers and send others to pray for me. What I sow in others, I reap in my life. It is not what we receive in life but what flows out that brings life and blessing. It is what we sow, that we reap.
It is also important to realize that our seed, whatever we are sowing, is from God. When we share what we have received, we are only giving back what He has given to us first. When we reap sparingly in our life, it is because we have sown sparingly.
Restoring Voice 
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