Return on Rejected Seeds

A Message from Anointed Messenger

Over eight years ago God called me from my native Chicago and led me to go to a "strange" land - Houston. So I left my job and mortgage free home and moved to a small apartment in Houston. There have been very challenging times, but God has taken care of me. One of God's blessings has been providing me with gift cards to an upscale whole foods grocery store. I love the store because they sell quality food. They don't carry items that have unhealthful ingredients like high fructose corn syrup.

One weekend I met up with a friend at church and invited her to come to the whole foods store with me. I knew she was going through a difficult financial season and I wanted to bless her. Too often she wouldn't/couldn't treat herself to quality food. The friend agreed to come and I encouraged her to pick out some groceries as my treat. She looked around quite a bit before she returned empty handed. I encouraged her to get something but she said everything was too expensive. No pleading convinced her to let me treat her to even one small item.

We had to leave as the store closed for the day, and in the parking lot my friend confided that she had visited the very same store the previous weekend and just walked around and looked. I felt certain that was God preparing her; allowing her an opportunity to pick out what she wanted, knowing I was coming with a gift card in one week. I was a bit frustrated, but my friend already knew she had a problem with receiving, and it was something we'd prayed about. I'm sure in due season she'll get better at receiving.

Well the Monday after our experience I found a very pleasant surprise in my mail. A benevolent benefactor  blessed me with a gift card for $200 to that very same whole foods store! Of course I was delighted with the generous gift, but I also learned a lesson. God still blessed me on the seed that I tried to sow. Even though my friend didn't receive the gift; God gave me a return on the seed I attempted to sow. Wow what a good God. It was encouragement not to be afraid to be a blessing during all seasons.

God's Beloved, we never have to worry that someone is "blocking our blessing." We cannot control how someone else receives what we try to give them; whether it's food, or money, encouragement, friendship, or counsel. Even when someone rejects our gifts, God will not reject us. When we have a sincere desire to give, God will bless us so we can be a blessing.

⁶ Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. ⁷ Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ⁸ And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. ⁹ As it is written:“They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.”^{[a] 10} Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. ¹¹ You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

2 Corinthians 9:6-11 NIV

Lord You are Jehovah Jireh - our Provider. We thank you for taking such good care of us. Father we know that You bless us so we can be a blessing. Teach us how to be good to each other; sharing what we have, just as the believers in the early church did. Let us not get discouraged by those who do not receive our gifts well. Holy Spirit show us whom to bless, and give us provision to be a blessing. Make us generous givers and humble receivers. Purify our motives and fill our bank accounts. In Jesus' name.