2 Corinthians 9: Generosity

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. 
You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. - 2 Cor. 9:10-11 NIV

I think a lot of people are confused with the concept of giving and receiving.  Many Televangelists would have you believe that if you 'sow a seed of faith' you will receive, which many take to mean if you send money, you will receive a new Cadillac or house of your dreams.  That is not the point at all. 

We are God's provision to a hurting and dying world.  One of the ways they can be reached is through our generosity, a generosity that comes from God, the supplier. God has a great storehouse that is filled with all the world needs, spiritually and materially.  That storehouse can be accessed by all believers, but in order to receive from that storehouse, we must have hands that have been emptied first.  We must give what we have received away before we can receive more.  The riches from God's storehouse are distributed on the basis of how the recipient will distribute them.  The more we give away, the more we receive to give away again.

I had an aunt who was fairly wealthy.  She was also the most generous person I have ever known.  You learned to not compliment her on anything because she would give it to you.  I once saw her take off the dress she was wearing and give it to someone else.  She was not born wealthy.  In fact, she grew up dirt poor but married a man of considerable means.  I think God knew her heart from the beginning, in fact, I think God created her with that heart so that she could be one of his vessels for giving to those who were less fortunate. 

It isn't just materially that we are to give.  We have been given great spiritual blessings:  wisdom, faith, healing, all the spiritual gifts.  If we don't give these away, we will not have empty hands to receive more from God either.  As Paul says, God will make us rich in every way so that we can be generous on all occasions.  This is a good time to start.