This week we will finish our reading of 2 Corinthians. Our readings will follow the usual pattern, Monday - 2 Corinthians 9, Tuesday - 2 Corinthians 10, Wednesday - 2 Corinthians 11, Thursday - 2 Corinthians 12, and Friday - 2 Corinthians 13.
Chapter 9 begins with Paul wrapping up his words of encouragement (?) regarding the collection in Corinth. He reiterates the Macedonian church and their faithfulness and the team he is sending to them to oversee the work.
After this lengthy treatment on the collection Paul says, "So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you, and arrange in advance for this bountiful gift that you have promised, so that it may be ready as a voluntary gift and not as an extortion." 2 Cor. 9:5 NRSV. It does seem that this is a high pressure pitch to me, but perhaps in the culture or in their particular relationship Paul was not out of bounds.
Paul wraps up chapter 9 with an excellent treatment on our motivation and the benefits of giving. It would do us all good to go back and re-read verses 6 - 10, "The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. As it is written, "He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness."
I sometimes say there are 2 kinds of people in this world, generous and selfish. If that idea makes you angry, you are probably selfish! It is a problem of our outlook on life I suppose. Some of us are trained by life situations and sin to see life through the lens of scarcity. If there is never enough, then it is hard to share. God's grace can bring us to a life of abundance, where we trust God that God can supply all of our needs according to God's riches and glory!
Where are you living from, scarcity or abundance, generosity or selfishness?
About Me
- Pastor Bill
- I am a committed follower of Jesus Christ, a happy husband, father and grandfather!
1 comment:
It is so easy to sow sparingly in so many aspects of life. Always giving the least we can get away with - not just financially, but of ourselves, to God, in general. We sow sparingly. As if the abundance of God would run out. And we reap, then, what we sow! (and can't reap what we haven't bothered to sow...)
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