⁶ Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. ⁷ You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” ⁸ And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. ⁹ As the Scriptures say,

“They share freely and give generously to the poor.
    Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”

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.

¹¹ Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. ¹² So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God.

2 Corinthians 9:6-12

Dear God, it is interesting that I came across this passage this morning. I was struggling to figure out which passage from the Bible to pray over this morning. I went to Bible Gateway first, but their Verse of the Day didn’t resonate. Then I decided to do the Catholic Daily Bible Reading and this was the New Testament reading for the day. It fits because I am about to spend this Saturday with the board of directors of our nonprofit doing some strategic planning. These are always difficult experiences because, if done right, we will struggle to discern where you want us to go from here.

There are usually a couple of ways to go on a day like this. We can either look at spreading our net as widely as we can to touch as many lives as we can (a mile wide and an inch deep) or we can focus on how we will go deeper and make a real change in the lives we already have coming to us (I suppose that would be an inch wide and a mile deep). Sometimes there can be both at the same time, but usually we need to focus on one over the other. Usually, for the sake of numbers, we will go for broader and broader. But as I think about it, it seems that Jesus wanted to go deeper and deeper. He didn’t travel everywhere while he was on earth. He stayed in a pretty controlled geographic area and invested in a few people deeply. Later, they were the ones who spread out and then invested deeply where you put them. I’ve never thought about this before, but it seems to be the pattern you follow. So as I think about planting seed and investing in others I am thinking about how do we really make lasting and deep change in patients’ lives? In the lives in our community and the surrounding communities that we touch?

Father, my head hasn’t really been in the game when it comes to this board retreat. I’ve been distracted by other things. But here I am now. We start in two and a half hours. Get my head in the game. Be with me. Be with us. Prepare all of our hearts as we come together to worship you, figure out how to serve you, and do something that will bring your kingdom and your will into the lives of our patients, volunteers, staff, and board. Something that will bring you into our community. In our hearts, minds, bodies, lives, and work, Lord, be glorified.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen