EXCEL IN GRACE-FILLED GENEROSITY

(I am using The Passion Translation, 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 for this article).

God loves an hilarious giver (2 Cor 9:7).  When I was a baby christian one of God's principles that He impressed deeply upon me was that of helping the poor, and being a generous giver.  I was barely a year old in my walk when He opened up 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 to me and revealed how generous His heart was and that it is His desire that ours be like that also. For me these two chapters reflect an attitude of heart we should strive for in all of our giving, however and to whomever we give.  (I am not going to address the tithing question in here. If you're a tither do it with a generous spirited heart attitude).

Did you know that there is a grace that empowers us to give (8v1). In 2 Corinthians 8:7 Paul states that our grace-filled generosity is just as important as our unstoppable faith, powerful preaching, revelation knowledge, passionate devotion and sharing love.  The Macedonian church was under tremendous suffering and extreme poverty, and yet they gave extravagantly, far beyond what they could afford, to their brothers and sisters in Christ in Jerusalem. It says that they gave with super-abundant, overflowing joy despite their circumstances. Wow, what a testimony of their love for Christ and their heart to please Him.

Let's go over some of the highlights of these two chapters:

• 8 v 10  - they set an intention to give, and were encouraged by Paul to honor that intention they had set in their hearts.  Intentional giving is an act of worship. 
• He encourages them to give according to their ability to give, 'for if the intention and desire are there, the size of the gift doesn't matter'.  He wasn't saying be stingy, he was saying because they are giving with a good heart and as much as they are able, it is fully acceptable to God.  We are to give according to what we have, not what we don't have. 
• 8 v 13 Paul states our surplus could meet another's need. We are to ease each other's burdens. This does not mean that you go without food for your kids in order to give, but out of what you willingly want to share or out of what you have in abundance. There are many, many different ways we can give, and many different kinds recipients we can give to. 
• 8 v 20 Paul talks about 'sending a team in order to avoid any criticism over how we handle this wonderfully generous gift'.  Here he is talking about integrity and accountability.  We are often the recipients of blessing in many different ways. In the past I have seen people receive generosity and waste, mishandle or neglect what they have been given. It dishonors both the gift and the giver.  When we receive a monetary gift especially, we can ask Holy Spirit if a portion or all of that gift should be sown onward to someone else.
• 9 v 2 These Macedonians were passionate about their giving, and so enthusiastic about it that it stirred others up to do the same but they gave out of willing, happy hearts and not out of last minute compulsion.   Plan your giving - ask God ahead of time who, when, how, how much?  Imagine asking Him at the beginning of the year how much he wants you to sow to missions, to your fellowship, to individuals, to charities and then putting that amount aside so you can do so with a happy heart and clear intention. 
• 9 v 6  Sowing out of a stingy heart will not reap us a meager harvest. Giving is to flow from our heart not from our heads or from religious duty. There is meant to be joy in our giving and the harvest we reap is more grace, more than enough of everything (in the Greek this means independently wealthy, needing nothing!), overflowing with abundance in every good thing we do. 

​SEED FOR THE SOWER
God gives us bread to eat and seed to sow. In other words He supplies our daily needs plus an abundance to sow out of, and then He multiplies it!  I remember somebody saying to me one day 'if only people would realize what they are doing when they eat their seed all the time'. When we sow and God multiplies it there is more to give out of, but in addition we are blessed in every other area of our lives also.  

Paul encourages us to be generous on every occasion. To me that means whenever I have the opportunity to sow I should, and also be as generous as I can within my ability to give, and with a joy-filled heart.  In vs 11-13 it says 'it causes many to give thanks to God', and in vs 12 'it will cause them to give glory to God'.  

Verse 14 - our giving will cause them to remember us in their prayers. You know one of the most wonderful things I find about giving is that it builds relationship between people. It causes them to hold us in their hearts, to lift their praises to God and to speak blessing over our lives. 

However, the ultimate purpose of our giving is to bring glory to God! (vs  13)

SOME QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT LIKE TO CHECK IN WITH JESUS ABOUT

• What is the emotional state of my relationship with money? Do I have a healthy relationship with money? Do I cling to it more than I cling to God's provision for me?
  
• Am I a generous, hilarious giver or is there some of that stingy-ness hanging around me?
  
• Can I give to someone without having expectations of a return from them in some way?
  
• Are there ways I can re-prioritise my spending so I have more to sow?