The grace of God gives us many good gifts. One of these is the gift of generosity. In 2 Corinthians 8:1-5, Paul gives us an example of a church that had been blessed with this grace. He uses this church as an example to the Corinthians of what the grace looks like in action.
Biblical Foundations: Paul's Teaching on Giving
Paul uses the churches in Macedonia (part of ancient Greece) as an example of cheerful and willing giving. These churches included those at Berea, Thessalonica, and Philippi. The Corinthians lived in a different part of Greece known as Achaia. Paul was trying to raise money for the poor church in Jerusalem by taking collections from the region.
Cheerful Giving: Lessons from Macedonia’s Faith
The churches in Macedonia were not better off than the Corinthians. In fact, Paul says they were deeply afflicted and were experiencing deep poverty themselves. In spite of this, though, Paul says they implored him to take their gifts to be used for the Jerusalem church.
Paul explains that the Macedonians gave "beyond their ability" and "willingly". The actual amount was probably small, but the amount was not what impressed Paul. The story of the widow's mite in Luke 21:1-4 underscores the importance of the quality of giving over the quantity of giving. Her sincerity and sacrificial giving were more important than the actual amount she gave. The Macedonians, like the widow in Luke's story both, through faith, had learned to rely on God's provision. When we have little, it is easy to forget that God is the one who provides for our needs, just as He provided for the Macedonians and the widow.
Have you ever been in a church service and felt as if you were being begged to give money? Well, Paul did not have to do that in the case of the Macedonians. In their case it was the opposite. They were begging him to take their money. This was how freely they gave. The Macedonians’ generosity was remarkable, but what does that mean for us today?
Personal Reflection on Generosity and Worship
How strange it is that often those who have the most are the least willing to give. In my own life, I have seen people who had almost nothing share freely with others. The poor among us often seem to be more generous, not less. I believe they often understand better than those of us that have a lot, how difficult life can be. Are we generous to all or just those we think are worthy of receiving our gifts?
Paul commends the Macedonian Christians because the very first thing they did was to give themselves to the Lord. No good could have come from them if their priorities were not right. First give your life to the Lord, then give to others. The lessons from Macedonia's faith are that cheerful giving can be expected if we give ourselves to the Lord.
The Heart of Giving: Sincerity Over Quantity
Pastor Joe Anady explains this beautifully in his sermon "Giving as an Act of Worship Before God," where he says: "We do not offer up sacrifices to the Lord expecting them to in any way make atonement for our sins. Christ has made full and perfect atonement. It is finished. But we, under the New Covenant, do indeed worship when we bring our tithes and offerings to the temple of the Lord, which is his church. You and I together are the temple of the Holy Spirit, friends." Colossians 3:23-24 teaches that everything we do, when done in obedience to God, can be seen as an act of worship, including work that furthers His kingdom. Advancing God's kingdom in this wicked world through giving is an act of worship.
We shouldn't look down on people who "just give money." It is a grace from God to do so. It is a needed grace for the ones receiving the gift. The church in Macedonia gave selflessly, expecting nothing in return for their gift, nor should we. When we love with sincerity like the Macedonian Christians did, we will give. 1 John 3:17 tells us:
"Whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?"
Cultivating a Heart of Generosity
Many times we are filled with good intentions. We think we should give to help someone, we plan to do it, but for some reason it never happens. The Corinthians needed to act on their words. Paul says that the Corinthians abounded in faith, speech, knowledge, and diligence but he wants them to have this grace— the grace of generosity— as well. Paul wants them to grow in every grace.
For Jesus, love was never just about words; it was what we did that mattered. Jesus is our example in this. According to verse 9, Jesus gave up the riches of Heaven to come into our world as a poor and humble man. Because Jesus willingly gave up those riches for our sake, we now have the opportunity to live with Him eternally in Heaven. 2 Corinthians 9:7 tells us that God loves a cheerful giver. God Himself is the ultimate giver (John 3:16) and that generosity is a way we show His love. Are we giving with joy or out of duty? Are we showing love in action?
In verses 10-12, Paul explains to the Corinthians that they should give out of what they have. Now, if you and I have a lot but misspend our money or think that buying extravagant things is more important than helping those in need, then there is a problem. Not having money to give because we spent our money wastefully is no excuse for not giving.
In these verses, Paul explains that we must first have an opportunity to be generous and then we must be willing. These are both gifts from God. To have an opportunity for generosity we need to be open and listening to God as to the needs of others. Then, no matter how many opportunities we have, we have to be willing to follow through and give.
Balancing Generosity with Responsibility
But to be clear, giving does have a rightful limit. In verses 13-15, Paul tells the Corinthians, "I don't mean that others should be eased and you burdened." The Corinthians had more money than the Macedonians and so should be expected to give more, but not so that the church in Jerusalem could live the easy life while the Corinthians just got by.
Also, according to 1 Timothy 5:8, our financial responsibility is to members of our family and our household first. We can't financially neglect those nearest to us. From there our generosity should reach to those who are part of the family of God and then to all people.
Worship Through Sacrificial Generosity
Our financial giving should not be restricted to a set amount where we then feel like we have "done our duty." Our giving should be flexible. Has God impressed a need on your heart? Have you responded, even if it is a sacrifice to do so? As Victor Hugo, author of The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1831) and Les Misérables (1862), captured the heart of sacrificial giving when he wrote, , "As the purse is emptied the heart is filled." How will you embrace the grace of generosity today? Look for an opportunity this week to give—not out of duty, but as an act of worship.
