The Divine Investment: What is the Reward of Helping Others?
Introduction
The book of Ecclesiastes, often perceived as a somber reflection on the vanity of life, contains within its eleventh chapter a powerful and proactive principle: Giving is a spiritual investment.
King Solomon, the wisest man to walk the earth, teaches us that helping our neighbor is not a loss, but a sowing. We live in a culture deeply scarred by "The Cult of Self"—where everyone wants to receive, but few are willing to release. However, the Kingdom of Heaven operates on a different economy. The Bible teaches that God blesses us so that we may become conduits of blessing.
As Hebrews 13:16 declares: “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” Today, we will explore five biblical truths regarding the reward of a generous life.
I. Givers Take the Initiative (v. 1)
“Ship your grain across the sea; after many days you may receive a return.” (NIV)
The old King James Version says, "Cast thy bread upon the waters." To the casual observer, throwing bread into the water looks like waste. But in the ancient Near East, this referred to maritime commerce—sending out goods on a journey of faith.
1. Giving is Sowing: You cannot have a harvest without first releasing the seed. Generosity requires the faith to let go of what is in your hand today to receive what God has for you tomorrow.
◦ Gálatas 6:7: "A man reaps what he sows."
◦ 2 Corinthians 9:6: "Whoever sows generously will also reap generously."
2. The Watered Garden: Proverbs 11:24–25 reminds us that the person who refreshes others will themselves be refreshed. When you "water" someone else's life with help, God ensures your own soil does not go dry.
Doctrinal Principle: God has established a spiritual law of sowing and reaping. Giving is not a subtraction from your bank account; it is an addition to your spiritual legacy.
II. The Benefit May Not Be Immediate (v. 1)
“...for after many days you will find it again.”
We live in an age of "instant gratification," but God often works in "seasons." The reward may take time to mature, but its arrival is certain.
1. God as the Debtor: Proverbs 19:17 tells us that "Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done." When you give, you are essentially depositing into a Divine Account. God is the most faithful debtor in existence; He always pays His interests.
2. Serving the Hidden King: Jesus confirmed this in Matthew 25:40. When we help the "least of these," we are not just helping a human being; we are serving Christ Himself.
3. Present and Future Rewards: The blessing is two-fold. There is a promise of provision in this life (Proverbs 28:27) and an eternal reward where our works follow us into the presence of the King (Revelation 14:13).
III. Multiplication Through Distribution (v. 2)
“Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.”
Solomon encourages us to multiply our kindness. The idea is to diversify our generosity, reaching out to as many as possible.
1. Continuous Generosity: We are called to be "rich in good deeds" (1 Timothy 6:18). Our work should not just be for our own survival, but so that we have something to share with those in need (Ephesians 4:28).
2. The Flow of Blessing: Luke 6:38 provides the visual of a "good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over."
◦ Acts 20:35: "It is more blessed to give than to receive."
Doctrinal Principle: God does not just replace what you give; He multiplies what is placed in His hands with a generous heart.
IV. The Danger of Waiting for Perfection (v. 4)
“Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.”
Waiting for the "perfect conditions" is often just a spiritualized excuse for selfishness.
1. Do Not Postpone Goodness: Proverbs 3:27–28 warns us not to say "come back tomorrow" when we have the means to help today. Faith without works is dead (Santiago 2:15–16).
2. The Good Samaritan Lesson: In Lucas 10:30–35, the Priest and the Levite waited for a "safer" or "cleaner" time to help. The Samaritan helped in the moment of crisis. Delayed help is often useless help.
3. The Opportunity Window: We must do good as we have the opportunity (Gálatas 6:10). Failing to do the good we know we should do is defined by Scripture as sin (Santiago 4:17).
V. The Highest Motive: Love for God
True biblical generosity is not "buying" God's favor; it is a response to His grace.
1. First, Give Yourself: The Macedonian church gave out of "extreme poverty" because they first gave themselves to the Lord (2 Corinthians 8:2, 5). When your heart belongs to God, your wallet cannot stay closed.
2. Stewardship Perspective: We must realize that we own nothing. "Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand" (1 Chronicles 29:14).
3. Evidence of Life: 1 John 3:17 challenges us: if we see a brother in need and close our hearts, how can the love of God be in us? We gave because we first received grace (Matthew 10:8).
Doctrinal Principle: Generosity is the fruit of salvation, not the cause of it. We don't give to be saved; we give because we are saved.
Summary: What is the Reward?
What, then, is the "return" on our investment?
• Inner Joy: The satisfaction of being an instrument of God.
• Spiritual Blessing: Growth in Christlike character.
• Divine Provision: God's promise to supply our needs.
• A Living Testimony: The world sees Christ through our open hands.
• Eternal Reward: Treasures laid up in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy.
See Also
- How to resolve conflicts in the best way?
- 10 Reasons to Praise the Lord
- What Shall You Do with Jesus Called the Christ?
Conclusion
God is calling us to be men and women of open hands. Don't wait for the clouds to clear or for your bank account to overflow. Cast your bread upon the waters today. Invest in seven, even eight. Trust that the God who sees in secret will reward you openly, both in this age and in the one to come.
