To Encourage You

2 Corinthians 8:10 “And in this matter (of giving) I give my judgment: this benefits you”

It is interesting that that apostle Paul gives so much emphasis to the matter of giving in his second letter to the Corinthians.  He spends all of chapters 8 and 9 talking about it.  He talks about the generosity of the Macedonian Christians, despite their poverty, as an example of their love and devotion to Jesus. He then urges the Corinthians to follow their example. He makes sure to mention how Jesus set the ultimate example for us all with these words: “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 by his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).  He then tells them that “those who sow (i.e., give) sparingly will reap sparingly and those who sow bountifully will reap bountifully” (2 Corinthians 9:6).  He encourages them to give, “not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).  He assures them that if they give in this way, “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8). He reminds them that whatever they decide to give, it was all given to them first by the Lord.  And then he tells them that if they give in these ways, they “will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way,” and that their giving would be a source of thanksgiving from others to God. 

Why so much teaching on this subect? Why all this emphasis? Could it be that this is perhaps one of the most problematic areas people have in trusting and obeying God?  Jesus warned that “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24).  He wouldn’t have said so much in His Word about this if it wasn’t indeed a great stumbling block for many. 

The short verse above assures us that in giving there is great benefit to us.  We can be so tempted to see giving as something that will result in less for us, but that’s thinking in human terms rather than divine. You see, if God is the source of our wealth, to honor Him with that wealth brings nothing but more blessing from Him. However, to be stingy and hold on to what He’s given us with a white-knuckle grip robs us of these same blessings.  It is because of our natural reluctance to give that God has come at this issue in so many ways, extolling us with His thoughts that are so much higher than ours. 

Listen to this encouragement, this time from the Old Testament (for the message has been the same from the beginning of time): “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. And thereby put Me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need” (Malachi 3:10).  It’s the same message in Jesus’ words from Luke 6:38: “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” 

But do we really believe all this?  Do we realize that God wants to abundantly bless us in this matter of giving?  Do we want to see wonderful blessings of God that we would not otherwise see, simply by being generous to those in need? Does our faith motivate us to obey Jesus’ command to “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:20)? 

Giving: “this benefits you.” That’s God’s message so wonderfully understated in the verse above.  But will we do it? Will we trust God with the results and trust Him to be true to His Word?  May God help us to believe Him and obey Him in this practical matter of giving, for it’s a spiritual barometer of where our trust ultimately lies.