11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?
Have you ever thought about your life in terms of a seed exchange? We all work for someone. It might be a corporation, a school, the government, or a store. We go there for a certain number of hours, accomplish certain tasks, and then we get a paycheck. Many people then take that paycheck and spend it on food, clothing and shelter, not to mention the many toys we accumulate over time, but I will save that for another day. In essence we are exchanging our life, our time, for money, a commodity for a commodity. We can’t buy any more time. We only have so much. Paul is counting on this principle as he lays out how those whose full-time work is teaching and preaching, leading and shepherding ought to be paid. Paul poured his life into their spiritual growth, literally giving of himself to the Corinthian followers of Jesus. He says in essence, you should be supporting me financially. But Paul choose not to receive their support. That was his choice. How are you feeling as the offering plate gets passed on Sundays? Do you resent giving to God? Your giving says more about you than it does about God. If your giving on Sunday is given grudgingly, you probably give grudgingly to your family, work, community. So, I would like you to think about how you are spending that precious time of yours. How are you wasting it? TV, selfish pursuits, endless sports, hobbies, recreation? Is the value of the things you are doing with your time match the value of your life? You only have one life. How are you ‘spending’ it?
The Arnold Journey 