8:8 I speak not by
commandment, but I am testing the sincerity of your love by the diligence of
others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that
though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His
poverty might become rich.
10 And in this I
give advice: It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and
were desiring to do a year ago; 11 but now you also must complete the
doing of it; that as there was a readiness to
desire it, so there also may be a completion out
of what you have. 12 For if there is first a willing
mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not
according to what he does not have.
13 For I
do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; 14 but
by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may
supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your
lack—that there may be equality. 15 As it is written, “He
who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered
little had no lack.”
I find this section both humbling and encouraging. Humbling
because I have been where Corinth is and encouraging because I'm not alone in
my good intentions. As you can see it's been a year since Corinth agreed to
support others in need but in that year nothing has been done. The others
churches in Macedonia have been doing what they can while Corinth has done nothing.
Notice that Paul doesn't call this giving a commandment. He calls it a grace.
Choosing to give and following through is an evidence of growth in Christ like
character. It's an area of growth where Corinth is struggling.
Paul makes a passing reference to an Old Testament story. The
story is found in Exodus 16. The book of Haggai deals with the exact same
principle. The Bible teaches that hoarding does not lead to abundance and
giving does not lead to a lack. In fact nature teaches that giving leads to
abundance. Why are dandelions so successful? Because they are so good at giving
their seeds away and they are well rooted.
A well rooted Christian knows what it is to give. It is life
and joy and a privilege that leads to abundance for all. It has been said that
in this world there are givers and takers and we must decide which we will be.
My favourite author describes it as consumers and producers. Jesus lived to
give. He gave Himself continually. When John the Baptist died the Bible said
Jesus tried to take some down time but He saw people in need and had compassion
on them and went back to "work". He didn't have to. It wasn't a
commandment. It just demonstrated the grace that filled His character. The
grace of self-sacrificing love.
Paul is encouraging, reminding, and challenging the believers
in Corinth to consider Jesus and develop the grace of giving. He who had
everything left it all behind to rescue us. Will we do less? Look around for
opportunities to practice the grace of giving. You will experience no lack.
Don't be like the grandpa who took his grandson to church.
When the boy came home he said to his mother "Grandpa sure can't handle
much pain."
"What makes you say that? Is grandpa ok?"
asked his mother.
"Oh I think so but the preacher asked everyone to give
until it hurt. Grandpa only gave a dollar."
No comments:
Post a Comment