Generous Giving - the Story within the Story

2 Corinthians 8:1-5

"And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.

For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will."

Look at these poor people giving their money away - they even ask for the privilege of doing so! What did these Macedonians have that we don't have?

I think they asked the right question first. They did not ask "How much shall I give?", but must have realized that the preceding question "Who is the real owner of everything I have?". Maybe, the question is upstream from there. More foundational: "Who owns me?"

That's the real question we have to ask ourselves and our donor friends. We cannot meet with people and we beat around the bush to see how generous they are feeling before we do the "ask".

As I compiled the year-end statistics I learned that the Lord brought in almost 40% more than last year. As wonderful as this overall number is, there are wonderful stories behind this:

• The new family that didn't think they could afford the tuition and they gave a big gift


• The donor with no children but sees this school as critical for our area and wants to scholarship a student


• The non-Christian couple who loves our school and volunteers in many ways - they gave generously


• The grandparents who increased their giving by 40%

Each one of these is a reason to celebrate God's goodness. Let's make sure we don't lose these precious gems while we gaze at the whole jewelry case.

Charles Stanley - Thoughts on giving

In Touch - Dec. 15, 2008

Monday December 15
God-Pleasing Generosity 2 Corinthians 8:1-7

Paul’s second letter to the Corinthian church praises the Macedonian believers at Philippi for their generosity. Despite deep poverty and great troubles, they desired to bless others materially. From their example, we know God is pleased when we give . . .

1. According to divine revelation. The Lord has revealed in Scripture how we are to live. He wants us to base our decisions on biblical principles rather than on our own thinking. Looking solely at a paycheck or bank balance before determining the size of a donation is relying on “self,” not trusting God.

2. Out of our need. The Macedonians were poor, but they didn’t let that keep them from contributing. They gave out of the little they had. The widow who gave her last two copper coins was praised for her offering to the Lord (Mark 12:42-44). We don’t need to have extra money in order to give.

3. To those who spiritually nourish us. The Bible tells us to bring our gifts to the local church, where it can be used to further God’s work. The apostle Paul and others were able to evangelize because of the support provided by the church in Jerusalem. Recognizing that they owed those believers a debt, the Macedonian Christians desired to give something back.

Human reasoning tells us that we cannot part with our funds when debt seems too large or income too small. But the Scriptures tell us to trust the Lord to provide for our needs (Phil. 4:19)—and to give generously. Are you living according to these principles?

Tuesday December 16
God's Way to Give 2 Corinthians 9:6-8

Our heavenly Father knows what our income is and how He would like us to spend it. He also desires that we demonstrate certain heart attitudes in our giving. These include faith, compassion, and generosity.

It takes faith to give before our own needs are met. The Macedonians at Philippi were experiencing deep poverty, but they still longed to contribute. Their behavior revealed a deep trust in the Lord's provision.

Compassion is also vital. This heart attitude cares about others and wants to bless them. The Philippian church saw Paul's situation and longed to help (Phil. 4:16). The Lord is pleased when we love one another and share from what we have.

The Macedonian believers were also generous. Though in great need themselves, they begged for the privilege of contributing to the collection for the Jerusalem church.

Consider how greatly we have benefited from the generosity of our heavenly Father. He provided His Son Jesus to take our sins upon Himself and die in our place. He has adopted us into His family, made us co-heirs with Christ, and prepared for us a permanent home in heaven with Him. And in this life, His Holy Spirit provides everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). As we make our Christmas plans, let's be generous towards others, just as God has been to us.

As we study biblical principles about how to handle money, God's Holy Spirit will help us put them into practice. Obedience to the Word will bring spiritual blessing (Luke 6:38).