Day 13 – 2 Corinthians 8:9-24

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. I give my opinion in this matter, for this is to your advantage, who were the first to begin a year ago not only to do this, but also to desire to do it. But now finish doing it also, so that just as there was the readiness to desire it, so there may be also the completion of it by your ability. For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. For this is not for the ease of others and for your affliction, but by way of equality at this present time your abundance being a supply for their need, so that their abundance also may become a supply for your need, that there may be equality; as it is written, “He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little had no lack.” But thanks be to God who puts the same earnestness on your behalf in the heart of Titus. For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest, he has gone to you of his own accord. We have sent along with him the brother whose fame in the things of the gospel has spread through all the churches; and not only this, but he has also been appointed by the churches to travel with us in this gracious work, which is being administered by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show our readiness, taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration of this generous gift; for we have regard for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. We have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found diligent in many things, but now even more diligent because of his great confidence in you. As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker among you; as for our brethren, they are messengers of the churches, a glory to Christ. Therefore openly before the churches, show them the proof of your love and of our reason for boasting about you.^[1]

The specific issue about which Paul writes to the Corinthians is a relief offering for churches that are suffering. It is an effort the Corinthian church had begun a year before but had not completed. Paul builds his argument for why the work should be continued and completed by pointing to the generosity of the churches in the province of Macedonia, who in comparison were greatly impoverished. The tone of these verses seems to indicate that the Corinthian church was wealthy, and yet they failed in their giving in comparison to the impoverished Macedonians. There was, therefore, inequality in giving, not in specified amounts but in commitment.

Eugene Peterson, in The Message, writes, “Once the commitment is clear, you can do what you can, not what you can’t.” That commitment grows out of the habit of the heart, and it is the heart that governs the hand. So, therefore, if the heart is not right there will be no true desire to give. It would appear that motivating people to give, either out of their abundance or lack was an issue in Paul’s day, just as it is a continuing issue today. It also appears that good church people in Paul’s day had the same issues with giving that many in the church still have to this day; issues of trust and accountability, even issues of manipulation and coercion. Paul cuts through all of these issues and establishes the true motivation behind one’s giving, the heart. If there is no commitment to Christ, and no firm decision in one’s heart one will not be inclined to give. Search your heart for your commitment to Christ and your readiness to give.

Dear Father, You know my desire to love and serve You. You alone know the habits of my heart. There is nothing hidden from You concerning any aspect of my life. You know my ability, my abundance, and my lack. You alone know my readiness to give myself away. Enable me this day to walk in greater commitment with You. Let my motives be pure, my character evident to all, and my integrity on display, so that I will be ready, and even privileged, to give whether out of abundance or lack. Amen.

^[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), 2 Co 8:9–24.