The passage I read was 2 Corinthians 8:1-9
You can find it here:
My summary of the passage is this:
This was an encouragement and challenge to the believers at
Corinth. Paul here tells them about the
churches at Macedonia. He says they
haven’t much but what they have they give.
He says they are in a trial and still overflowing with joy, that they
are generous even beyond their ability to give, and that they are urging others
to also be this generous. Paul then
challenges the believers at Corinth saying that they have so much faith and
ability and that they have excelled in every good thing. He says he wants to test their sincerity of
love by comparing them with the earnestness of others (such as the churches in
Macedonia). They key verse that stands
out to me is this:
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he
was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty
might become rich.
As I reflect:
Even thought the believers at Corinth wwere doing so well in
so many areas, there was still room for improvement and Paul was quick to
challenge them to continue growth in the area of generosity. As if it weren’t enough to compare them to
this lowly set of churches with almost nothing, Paul goes one further and
compares to our Lord Jesus Christ who gave all for us. That’s pretty convicting. A very strong example of the generosity that
we ought to have in our own lives. In
another passage of scripture we are reminded that we ought to have the
mindset/heartset to lay down our life for another (even an underserving
person). That Christ was willing to lay
down His life to pay our debt and show His love for us while we were yet
sinners is the ultimate example of what love truly is. It is an example that we should all
follow. We should love not only those
close to us, but even a complete stranger enough to die to our own desires to
serve and help them any way we can. I am
reminded that we are Jesus Christ’s hands and feet here. Where we go and how we act determines the view
that others will make of what God is like.
If God’s followers are stingy with their gifts, then we have
misrepresented our Father. If God’s
followers are willing to lay down their lives joyfully for the good of a
stranger, how strong a witness of grace may we be to this world.
My response to the Lord:
Lord, full of grace you gave your Son for my debt to be
paid. You loved me enough to do this and
bring me close. I can never thank you
enough Father. But while I am here on
this Earth I can (if you are willing) be an ambassador for your kingdom. I know the general public view of a
“Christian” because it is this view of us that I must battle at every
opportunity to witness. Holy Father, I
pray that you would use me and the many other men and women that are willing to
change the public view of God by what our actions show. Lord help us to be salt and light as we draw
the lost closer to you. Lord prepare the
hearts of the many as we bring your kingdom.
May we be generous even to the end of our lives, faithful to serve, and
may we lose not the joy you have allowed as we take hold of our labor for sake
of the harvest. In Jesus Name
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