Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” Luke 6:38 (New Living Translation, NLT)

Most of us go to a job because we “have to make a living.” In other words, we have to pay our bills and buy what we need. And some people are in careers they dislike because they feel like they have to have it to “make a living.” This feeling is especially strong when we have children to support.

However, what if we could be living off our giving instead of off our paychecks? The Bible tells us that we are supposed to reap a harvest off of what we sow. And it tells us that how much we harvest will depend on how much we sow. If we sow little, we’ll reap little, but if we sow much, we’ll reap much. So, it stands to reason that if we sow consistently and generously, we should be receiving a harvest in the same way. And our harvest should be more than what we gave.

The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself. Proverbs 11:25 (NKJV)

What if we used our job simply as a source of seed instead of the source to meet all our needs? Then, we could sow the seed from our jobs and the multiplied harvest we received would sustain us. The Bible tells us that working is good, so I am not advocating that no one work. However, we should rely on God for our needs to be met through the principle of sowing and reaping rather than relying on our employer.

Does giving really work? Yes, it does, or God would be a liar and the Word of God would be untrue. Why, then, do we see so few people living off their giving? The fault is not with God, but with us. The reasons are many, such as not giving much or not giving consistently, not giving in faith, aborting our seed by speaking negatively over our finances or the economy, and many others. Giving works, but we usually get in the way.

Am I telling you to go out and give away your entire paycheck right now? No, not unless the Lord has specifically told you to do so. But, we can start where we are with what we have and work up to living off the harvest from our giving. Even if you do not have a job, you can sow something. Every single one of us can find something to give from what we have: clothing, furniture, food, our time, etc. Start with what you have and build from there. Water the seed by speaking the Word over it. Once you give and expect a harvest, you’ll get one. It takes some time and patience, but when seed is sown and it is watered, it grows and produces. Eventually, your seed will be producing more than enough for you to live on.