Begin with two minutes of silence and stillness before God.
In this passage, we see that Paul is trying to motivate the Corinthians by using the Macedonian churches as an example. He wants them to see the results of a truly generous heart. He mentions all the challenges the Macedonians faced. He talks of their deep poverty and how they still gave joyfully and generously. He said that they gladly gave whatever they had to help others see the love of Jesus. Paul encourages them by reminding them that they have been excelling in every other aspect of their faith journey. He says in verse 7, “But since you excel in everything - in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you – see that you also excel in this grace of giving.”
Giving is the evidence of God’s grace working in the giver. God has so freely given to us. Therefore, we should freely give to others. Everything we have belongs to the Lord. It is our role as believers to share our gifts with others. Paul tells us that giving is not a commandment, but it is a way to test the sincerity of a believer.
Here is a tough question: Are you willing to be generous even when faced with difficulties or limitations? It truly is a test of faith when you feel like you do not have enough to give, but you give anyway. Maybe you are in a tough financial season, and you feel like you just don’t have the money to give. Money is not the only gift, though. Time is a gift. We have a family motto: “The least we can do is show up.” It means that spending time with others in need, praying for them, and showing kindness doesn’t cost us a thing. It sounds simple, but when you have a hard week at work or a challenging day at school, you may feel like you just don’t have a minute to give. The Macedonian believers remind us that true generosity is not dependent on our wealth or abundance; it is a response to God’s grace and love.
This passage is more about the attitude we have towards giving. Godly generosity goes beyond material possessions; it is an overflow of God’s grace in our lives. It stems from a heart of trust in God’s provision. God has always supplied our needs, and He will continue to do so in the future. How can we become more generous with our giving? True generosity begins with surrendering our lives to God. Knowing that we fully belong to Him and that everything we have is His leads us to develop a heart of contentment. This contentment enables us to give freely without any sense of loss. When we give, we are reflecting God’s love to those around us. It is not the act of giving, but it’s our heart behind it. When is the last time you gave generously, not because you had to, but because you wanted to show God’s love through your giving?
Take two minutes to reflect in silence.