2 Corinthians 9:10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you ( NLT).
I read something about a woman on facebook that caught my attention. This woman gave three cars to a pastor and began to walk on foot for a long time. Not only that, she experienced a reversal of fortune for worse yet she remained faithful. The story didn't tell us about her husband whether he gave his consent or not.
I can't tell whether the story is real or adapted from the real life experience of someone. Regardless, I know such exist somewhere. I have heard of people who gave their school fees as seed on campus fellowship and then became stranded. Some looked back in regret.
The problem I see here is that these people do not understand the difference between a seed and harvest. According to the opening scripture, God gives a seed for sowing while He gives harvest for eating. God in his wisdom separate for us what to sow and what to eat.
You run into trouble when you sow your harvest and eat your seed.
Much emphasis has been on seed sowing but only few on what to eat, that is the harvest. Oftentimes, the motivation behind giving without discerning a seed to be given and a harvest to be eaten comes from imbalanced messages and coercion which is totally unscriptural.
I have heard of preachers who compel people to borrow to sow seed. That's extreme. If they borrow to sow seed, how will they pay back? I'll rather teach you to invest borrowed money in profitable business for it to yield a harvest that will afford you to repay your loan and still have some extra to give and do other things. We live in days where we must guide God's people on how to make& multiply money as we ask them to give.
I have rejected money or gifts before. I am wise enough to know what to accept and what to reject. Preachers, when people bring their harvest, return it, accept seeds only. Accepting some seeds will put you in trouble. Be discerning.
Students, don't sow your school fees as seed. Don't borrow money to sow seed. You'll be putting yourself in double trouble when your creditors come asking for their money and you can't repay. There is widom for all things. Your seed should come from your harvest not borrowed or stolen.
God, in his wisdom has taught us to separate seed from harvest. You need wisdom to do same. In as much as we encourage giving, we must not break divine protocols in doing this.
Beware of being manipulated or coerced to give to the point of giving all your harvest. Ask God to give you wisdom on how to discern between your seed and harvest.