#DailyDevotion Do You Give Joyfully, Generously and Cheerfully?
2 Corinthians 8:1–5 Fellow Christians, we want you to know what God’s grace has done in the churches of Macedonia. 2While they were severely tested by trouble, their overflowing joy and their deep poverty have yielded a richly overflowing generosity. 3I assure you they have given all they could, yes, more than they could give, 4of their own free will, and with much pleading they begged us for the privilege of sharing in the help given the holy people. 5They did more than we expected: they gave themselves to the Lord first and then to us, doing just what God wanted.
Macedonia was apparently not a rich congregation. Yet Paul puts them forth as an example of what God’s grace can do. We don’t know all the specifics that were going on there but we can tell from Paul’s writing that they must have been experiencing some trials and tribulations, most likely from the pagan Roman population because of their faith in Jesus. If they had been Gentiles they would no longer be worshiping the emperor by offering incense to his image. Of course they wouldn’t be participating the worship of the rest of the pagan gods as well. This would bring ostracism from their friends, neighbors and especially their enemies. People may have stopped doing business with them and they may not have been able to get the equivalent of business licenses to make a living.
Yet they thought the grace they had received in Christ Jesus was worth it. The Holy Spirit had worked a different mindset in these people, as he is working on creating us a different mindset as well. We see they gave themselves to the LORD Jesus first and then to the apostles, which is the will of God.
When they heard the need of their fellow saints in Jerusalem, their hearts went out to them. The gift of generosity welled up in them and they begged Paul for the privilege of giving to the suffering saints, their fellow believers. They had an overwhelming joy in their deep poverty which yielded a richly overflowing generosity. What does this mean? It was their joy to give to others, to make a sacrifice as they gave more than they could afford to give. It was a joy to make a sacrifice to help their fellow saints who were suffering.
How we do we give? Do we have to be pressured? Do we have to made embarrassed by our stinginess? It is outward pressure and how people will look at us that makes us give to God? Is it forced? God forbid! God loves a cheerful giver. I may be shot by treasurers across the country but if you cannot give to God cheerfully, generously, with abounding joy in contributing to the work of the Church, well you might as well just keep your money. Your giving will be of no spiritual benefit to you. Sure, the Church could use it but it should not want it if not given spiritually.
Joy, generosity, a will that freely gives based on the grace it has experienced from our LORD Jesus Christ is what God wants. It is what He blesses. He blesses it with an even greater joy, generosity and grace in giving. May the Holy Spirit work this grace in you.
Heavenly Father, you have abundantly with joy offered your Son Jesus Christ to be our salvation so we may experience your grace and loving-kindness. Give us your Spirit that we may in similar fashion give joyful and abundantly to the work of your Church to do the work you have appointed it to do. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.