Give, and you will receive. A large quantity, pressed together, shaken down, and running over will be put into your pocket. The standards you use for others will be applied to you.
Luke 6:38
One of the big messages we see in the life of Job is patience in suffering. Job learned that both good and bad come from God, and that was how he was able to make it through the worst time of his life. Because he looked at things with a godly perspective, his suffering wasn’t in vain. And in the end Job was rewarded for his patient trust in God and given more than he had ever had: more kids, more money, more things.
But don’t look at Job and say, “I’m going to be happy in my suffering because I know that I’m going to be repaid double for all I’m going through.” That isn’t learning to live in patience and longsuffering—that’s greed! It’s true that God rewards you for your obedience. His Word even says that he will give you more based on what you give and how much that sacrifice hurts. “Give, and you will receive” (Luke 6:38). And his Word says you harvest whatever you plant (see 2 Cor. 9:6). All this is true and amazing, but to suffer with the hope that you will double your loss in return for your efforts is not faithfulness but greed. So do good, accept life’s trials with patience, and trust that God will bless you in the way that he sees fit.