2 Corinthians 9.13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will
praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of
Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.
– St. Paul
For a couple years, I worked for a company whose whole MO
for doing business was: Live Generously.
Now, this might be a strange business model for a company which sells insurance,
investment, and retirement products. But, that was the way they operated, and
in reading Paul’s second missive to the Corinthians, he seemed to be telling
them (in chapter 9): live generously.
Paul said, when we do, “… others will praise God for the
obedience that accompanies [our] confession of the gospel of Christ, and for our
generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.” So, this is all about
God and His glory and obeying His heart in giving.
I like the phrase: “…others will praise God for the
obedience that accompanies you confession of the gospel of Christ…”; that’s
like putting our money where our mouth is.
Jesus said, what comes out of the heart is what comes across the lips. And when
the heart and the lips move, the hands should follow. St. John said: Dear children, let us not love with words or
speech but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3.18) Giving is active obedience
to the Gospel (which is directly tied
to our wallets…)
So, when we give, God is praised. God is praised because
God provides and His provision proclaims His promises and His presence. God is
not far away from our needs; He meets our needs through the lives of others,
and we meet theirs by our obedience that accompanies our confession of Jesus
Christ. Love in action.
I’ve heard it said we’re to live in a spirit (mindset,
lifestyle, habit) of abundance. Scarcity is like weeds but abundance is a
beautiful flower that dominates the view and God is praised and we are happy,
not because of clinging, but because of release. To God be the glory!
It’s not what we give but that we give! Live generously:
time, talent, and treasure…
Father in Heaven, I am motivated to give. I don’t have a
job and my resources seem to be few, but the act of giving frees me to the obedience
that accompanies my confession of the gospel of Jesus Christ, who gave Himself
for me. May I live today in that obedience – Amen!
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