“Be fruitful and increase . .” Genesis 1:28 NIV
“Every day you are a partner with God for increase.”
My thoughts today are about “created to contribute.”
Is it interesting to you that the Creator’s first instruction to his creation was, “be fruitful and increase”? I mean, wouldn’t you think He might have directed them to explore all that He had made, and marvel at His endeavors? Or might the Creator, who did all of this for them, have invited Adam and Eve to sit back and enjoy His bounty? What amazing generosity that man would be invited to participate in the ongoing development of what God had created – to continue the miracle God placed in every seed, contributing to that fruitfulness and increase.
I think there is a glimpse into a father’s heart in His words about fruitfulness and increase. God wants those He created and loves to experience and enjoy a growing abundance, and to feel the satisfying reward of seeing the fruit of one’s own labor with God’s blessing upon it. This is not a dreaded, laborious work assignment; God’s words are an invitation to a partnership with Him. God does not run a sweatshop and you are not a minimum wage earner, endlessly doing some repetitive and meaningless task. Every day you are a partner with God, as one who “grows with the increase that is from God.” Colossians 2:19 NKJV. I cannot think of another kind that I would want, other than what is from the hand of God! James 1:17 NKJV.
Life is best when you feel productive, when what you are doing is working for the good of yourself and others. You are created for contributing, and enjoying the reward that comes from your efforts. People birth ideas, envisioning what others failed to dream; people refine and perfect products and processes for greater productivity and profitability; people build companies great and small to serve and meet needs; people feel others’ hurts and develop better ways to cure and care for them. They are contributing – fruitful and increasing.
There is a qualifying distinctive that I would draw. The fruitfulness that has God’s blessings results in improvement and enrichment in the lives of others, rather than the singular increase of wealth and possessions for individuals or investors alone. When you truly partner with God, you embrace the “corporate culture” of the Kingdom of God, which embodies selflessness, serving, and sacrifice. When you look into your heart, is your motive about personal increase extensively for your own benefit, or fruitfulness for His purposes? We are all kingdom builders; whose kingdom are you building, yours or His? Read John 15:1-8/16 NIV.
The Bible is clear: “It is possible to give freely and become more wealthy, but those who are stingy will lose everything. The generous prosper and are satisfied; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. People curse those who hold their grain for higher prices, but bless the one who sells to them in their time of need. If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for evil, it will find you! Trust in your money and down you go. But the Godly will flourish like leaves in spring . . the Godly are like trees that bear life-giving fruit.” Proverbs 11:24-28/30 NLT. Consider Deuteronomy 8:6-19 NIV.
My prayer for you today is a blessed and bountiful return on your efforts in God’s service.