Key Elements of Giving

"Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity. For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem. They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do. So we have urged Titus, who encouraged your giving in the first place, to return to you and encourage you to finish this ministry of giving. Since you excel in so many ways—in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us —I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving."
2 Corinthians 8:1-7
The churches in the Macedonia region were experiencing great persecution. These churches were comprised mostly of gentiles.  Some of these churches did not even have a proper place to worship. In Philippi they worshipped outside the city gate by the river. The collection that they took up was to help assist the poor Jewish Christians of Judea who had been hit hard by outbreaks of natural famine during the reign of the Caesar Claudius.  Claudius also had expelled all Jews from Rome around 52 likely increasing the population in and around Jerusalem.
The church of Macedonia, though under great persecution by Caesar Claudius gave.  And grave gracefully.  Why?  They was no compulsion.  They were likely the first church given the opportunity to give for the church in Jerusalem.  To a church of Jews.  To people that formerly would have considered the gentiles of Macedonia as dogs.  The church of Macedonia gave because they had been impacted by the grace of God.
God is generous and where His grace is truly experienced in people’s lives the evidence will be a similar love and generosity.  As His children, we will exhibit attributes of the Father.
The appearance of circumstances did not dictate their giving - Grace did!  Jesus’s loving and giving was not dictated by His circumstances.  Grace did!
Giving out of our “source of Wealth” (which is God’s grace) is about being influenced by God to be used by God to fulfill the mission God has called us to as a church.

If grace is consider to be like money, then the Father is the mint.  We are the local bank branches.  We distribute His grace to people near us.  We have no grace of our own.  We only distribute His grace.  When
  • we have been impacted by the grace of God,
  • the evidence will be through love and generosity,
  • our circumstances will not dictate our distribution of grace, and
  • we will be used by God to fulfill His mission.
  1. How has God’s grace impacted you?
  2. Do you allow circumstances to control you giving of grace?

--Zine Smith

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Comfort Trap

Image
'One person dies in prosperity, completely comfortable and secure, the picture of good health, vigorous and fit. Another person dies in bitter poverty, never having tasted the good life. But both are buried in the same dust, both eaten by the same maggots.' Job 21:23-26 One of my favorite music groups of all time is a little-known group, House of Heroes .  I had them in for a fundraising concert several years ago.  Early in the show, they performed one of my favorite songs;  The Comfort Trap .  Here are just a few words from that song: I'm gonna get nice things and get my way Even if it means there's hell to pay I'm gonna have my cake and eat it too And what I don't eat I'm gonna force feed you I'm not looking for consolation Maybe I can settle for compensation Have my cake and eat it too And if it's all a lie, I'm gonna say it's all true It seems to be a universal state of our world that if what we think is a l...
Read more

People of Vision

Without revelation, people run wild, but one who follows divine instruction will be happy. Proverbs 29:18 I have had excellent vision for most of my life.  My sight was better than 20/20.  When I was in late high school, I was told by my optometrist that I was going to have a hard time as I got older.  I asked, "Why?"  He said, "Your eyesight is going to get worse as everyone's does.  You're going to think you need glasses, but no optometrist is going to give you eyeglasses for 20/20 sight."  My vision didn't last as long as I would have liked due to MS.  I now see an ophthalmologist annually which I visited this past week.  They have the worst games!  "One or two?"  "Which line can you read?"  "Better or worse?"  Augh!  If I could see well I would tell them?  Isn't that why I went to the eye doctor?  To correct my vision that I know is flawed?  And my eyes are fine.  My eye shape and lense...
Read more

Death Precedes Life

Image
"So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.” But when Jesus heard about it he said,“Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, he stayed where he was for the next two days." John 11:3-6   Author Henry James said, "Life is a predicament that precedes death." The caterpillar appears to be a full animal. It eats on leaves. It crawls around and tries to avoid being eaten by birds and other predators. From a passing glance, the caterpillar appears complete. From an anthropomorphized view, the caterpillar thinks itself complete. We know that the caterpillar is but a butterfly pupae; an immature form. It is nothing like what it will be. The caterpillar must go through a metamorphosis that resembles death. The outer-layer dies forming a chrysalis that inside the butterfl...
Read more