To Encourage You

2 Corinthians 8:1-5 “We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia,for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favorof taking part in the relief of the saints— and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.”

Have you ever been blessed by someone who gave something to you that was far more than you expected?  If you have, it’s a humbling and often overwhelming experience.  Perhaps you’ve received financial help of some type, or someone otherwise showed care for your physical, emotional, or spiritual needs, some wonderful thing that you’ve never forgotten.  Well, that’s what Paul was talking about as he describes the incredible giving of the people of the Macedonian churches.  These were people “in a severe test of affliction” who were characterized by “extreme poverty.” It’s likely that these situations were the result of them having been persecuted for their faith.  As Paul visited these churches, he didn’t expect that they would be interested in giving to others.  They had enough problems of their own that to be self-consumed by those problems would have been perfectly understandable.  Yet, notice that these people begged for the opportunity to give to other saints who were in need.  They gave not only according to their means, but beyond their means. Paul could describe it only as a “wealth of generosity.”  Their giving heart obviously blessed Paul greatly.  They went above and beyond anything that would have been expected of them. 

Jesus describes a similar giving heart in the story of the good Samaritan.  The Samaritan, unlike the “religious” priest and Levite who had seen a man that had been robbed and beaten by thieves but avoided him, he didn’t avoid him. He went to the one in need.   The Samaritan didn’t view it as someone else’s problem. He didn’t avoid the need because he had better things to do. No, we are told that the Samaritan “had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back’” (Luke 10:33-35).  You see, that’s the heart of a person who has been touched by the compassion and immeasurable grace of God.  In gratitude they want to do not only what might be expected, but more than might be expected to show God’s love to others.  Again, as Jesus said “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. (i.e., that’s the expected thing).  And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil” (Luke 6:32-35). 

What an encouragement this is to us that just as there may have been people in our lives that went above and beyond what was expected to bless us in some way, so God would have us to be the type of people that do the very same kinds of things towards others.  May God help us to make the most of the opportunities He gives us to go “above and beyond,” to go beyond what is expected, and thereby be a channel through which the many blessings God has poured into our lives can be likewise poured into the lives of others.