2 Corinthians 8-4.5.22

SCRIPTURE:

2 Corinthians 8:2

"During a severe testing by affliction, their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed into the wealth of their generosity."

OBSERVATION:

This was Paul's third missionary journey. He was making an appeal to the Corinthians regarding the need to gather funds to help the poor in Jerusalem. Paul gave the example of how well the Macedonian churches had willingly and generously given, even out of their deep poverty.

UNDERSTANDING:

Paul was testing the genuineness of their love, and then he reminded them of the genuineness of Christ's love and how generous Jesus had been to them. Though He, (Jesus) was rich, for their sake He became poor, so that by His poverty they might become rich. (verse 9).

The poor widow in the Bible had also given out of her poverty. She gave away what was needed beyond the needs of her own! In God's eyes, the Macedonian's and the poor widow had been more generous than the ones who had given out of their plenty.

These believers had FIRST GIVEN THEIR LIVES TO THE LORD, and then, what followed naturally was that they became generous givers to others.

LIFE APPLICATION:

When we are truly motivated by God's love, we will want to give back to Him by being generous to others. I pray that the motives behind my giving will be with a pure heart, and that my life will be a model of generosity because of the way Jesus has modeled such generosity to me.

-Robin Orefice