When Hurricane Helene struck the state of North Carolina in September 2024, the devastation was shocking to the affected communities. People living in rural mountain areas were literally cut off from civilization because many roads and bridges were washed away by raging rivers. Nearly 1,000 families saw their homes totally destroyed, while close to 30,000 homes needed repairs to be habitable. Because the wheels of bureaucracy turn slowly, government assistance was slow in arriving. By December, many were still homeless and more desperate for help than the day the hurricane hit.
It was then that a group of 60 Amish craftsmen from Pennsylvania traveled to Boone, North Carolina just before Christmas, to build 12 “tiny houses” for families displaced by the hurricane. Famed for their community barn raisings accomplished in a single day, these skilled builders completed the construction of the 12 homes in less than 48 hours. The women and children who accompanied them, cooked and served meals to the Boone community while the men worked tirelessly. The entire project cost close to $300,000 and the money came solely from the Amish community in Pennsylvania.
This true story is a perfect example of what I like to call “sowing in another man’s field.” These Amish Christians believe in helping their neighbors in a time of need. They poured time, money and effort into the “fields” of people they did not know and had never met before. Their giving was not to help relatives or friends, but complete strangers they would most likely never meet again. It could be said that they would never personally reap any benefit from what they did for their neighbors in North Carolina. But the Bible tells us a different story. In the Word of God we can discover that the Lord both watches our sowing into the lives of others, and He repays.
God Watches and Responds
Unlike deists – who believe in a supreme being that does not intervene in the affairs of men – as Biblical Christians, we know from God’s Word that the Lord is not an aloof observer of mankind. Instead, the Bible clearly states that God watches and responds to the actions of the human race. Proverbs 15:3 states –
The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.
In the book of Second Chronicles 16:9 we find that after God watches people’s actions, He responds.
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth,
to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.
God is also very aware of those who are generous to the poor and considers such action to be a “personal loan” to Him. And you can be sure that God repays ALL of His loans as this verse declares.
He who is gracious and lends a hand to the poor, lends to the Lord,
And the Lord will repay him for his good deed.
Proverbs 19:17 Amplified Bible
In addition, we find that God promises five specific blessings to the person who is kind to the poor.
Blessed is the one who is considerate of the destitute;
the Lord will deliver him when the times are evil.
The Lord will protect him and keep him alive;
he will be blessed in the land;
and he will not be handed over to the desires of his enemies.
The Lord will uphold him even on his sickbed;
You will transform his bed of illness into health.
Psalm 41:1-3 ISV
When you sow generosity into another person’s field (or life) especially someone who can never repay you for your kindness, you place yourself in a position to which God has obligated Himself to respond. And we know from the scriptures that God cannot lie!
God is not like people. He tells no lies.
He is not like humans. He doesn’t change his mind.
When He says something, He does it. When He makes a promise, He keeps it!
Numbers 23:19 GWT
Sowing Requires Intentionality
Throughout the Bible there are many references to sowing and reaping used to illustrate both natural and spiritual principles. Jesus told a story in the Gospel of Matthew that begins, “Behold, a sower went out to sow.” In those few words we can ascertain that sowing must be an intentional action. That sower had a plan and purpose when he went out to sow seed that day.
Having had the privilege of overseeing a ministry for nearly 25 years, I have observed amazing intentionality in sowing by generous givers to Hidden with Christ Ministries. Like those Amish builders in the story above, they were not giving donations to bless their own families, children or grandchildren, but instead they were sowing in someone else’s field. They would never reap benefits in Africa for the gifts they sowed there – but God stands ready to repay the “loan” He received through their gifts to the poor, the widow and the orphan.
I want to encourage you to be someone who does not fear sowing into someone else’s field or worry about not getting a return on your charitable investment. God is faithful to His promises and will bless you in multiple ways for being kind and generous to the destitute (Psalm 41:1-3) and will repay you for your good deeds. (Proverbs 19:17) You may not see the harvest this year or next, but you can be certain – it will come.
A man’s harvest in life will depend entirely on what he sows.
Galatians 6:7b
The New Testament in Modern English
