– Giving Beyond My Means
BRD REFLECTIONS:
2 Corinthians 8:1-15 and Psalm 47 (NIV)
(Aw Choon Hui, Lay Leader)
READ:
The following points from 2 Cor 8:1-5 (ESV) were impressed upon me:
Vv1,2: grace of God given to the churches in their severe affliction;
abundance of joy and extreme poverty resulted in generosity
Vv3: gave beyond their means
Vv4: begged to give for the relief of the saints
Vv5: gave themselves first to the Lord
OBSERVE:
Paul was writing to the Corinthian Church about his crisis relief mission for the Jewish community in Jerusalem who had been afflicted by a great famine. A collection had already been taken from the gentile churches in Macedonia (Philippi, Thessalonica) and now the call was to the rich churches in Corinth to contribute to the cause.
The extraordinary giving of the Macedonian churches is an example for all of us. No one would have faulted them for not giving as they were experiencing severe trials and ‘down to the depths’ type of extreme poverty. In fact, they were probably much in need of help themselves!
So, how do you give beyond your means and still be joyful?
Verse 1 tells us that this is by the grace of God; and
Verse 5 tells us that they gave of themselves first to God.
APPLY:
In having committed my life to God, giving beyond my means should flow naturally as all that I have belongs to Him. Such sacrificial giving is stretching my faith and abandoning myself to God.
Jesus singled out the poor widow who gave her last 2 small copper coins in the church offering (Mk 12:41-44) as an act of giving beyond one’s means. She probably felt a little embarrassed after watching the rich drop in huge amounts. Yet Jesus said she gave more than all the others. This doesn’t make any sense from an accounting viewpoint. But from God’s vantage point, she honoured God most by sacrificing her last means of hope on earth, and trusted her future into the hands of God.
Being called to ‘give beyond my means’ goes against all that the world tells me to do, ie. to “keep everything for myself”, because it tells me that money is the only security in this world. But if money replaces my need and dependence on God, then it becomes an idol that impedes my full surrender to God. It robs me of gratitude to God and the ability to be generous. What if everything I have disappears overnight? Would I be bitter or let myself fall into the hands of God?
On the last night of our recent mission trip to Radion in Chiang Mai, each of us gave a verse and a small origami box to each of the Hmong children who had been attached to us for the duration of our trip. One of the girls later approached my wife with an interpreter and thanked her for this simple gift which she loved so much. These children had zero money, were stateless, had little hope and no family. Yet, they taught me a great lesson of utter dependence on God and hearts full of gratitude for what little they had.
DO:
I feel God quietly asking me once again, “Do you love me more than these?
I need to prayerfully discern where God is directing me to give, and to help me give sacrificially. May He grant me that special grace to also give joyously!
PRAY:
Lord, all that I have is yours. I brought nothing into this world and I will not bring anything when I leave. With the little time I have on this earth, help me use all I have to sacrificially give for your kingdom. Remembering my saviour Jesus Christ who gave His very life for me, Amen!
