the grace of giving

I think every Christian wrestles with giving, as do most churches. This question of what we should and what we may do with our material blessings is a constant one. The church’s needs persistent, but ours are more so.

Paul gives some thought-provoking advice in 2 Corinthians 8:1-7: “We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.”

This doesn’t seem a good formula for successful fundraising: severe affliction plus abundance of joy plus extreme poverty = a wealth of generosity. But I think for God’s people joy is more of a multiplier than an adder; maybe it’s actually an eraser, something that gets rid of the negatives. At any rate, for the Macedonian churches joy more than offset their poverty and affliction. That’s inspiring; I want that kind of joy.

Here’s how powerful the joy of the Lord can be: in this desperate situation (I don’t know what their severe affliction was but I imagine religious persecution or maybe an outbreak of disease) and out of their poverty they came begging to Paul to be included in his relief drive. And then they gave more than they should have. They put themselves at risk so they could give more. They could do this because they first gave their most valuable possession – they gave themselves, and to the Lord. After that it was just a matter of reacting to the great joy of being saved.

In the end I hear the same call, and feel the same pull, that Paul conveyed to the Corinthian church through this amazing example: to excel at giving. It’s as much to be desired, Paul says, as excellence in any prayer or teaching or hospitality or any other gift.

Giving as a spiritual discipline, according to the Macedonian example, could transform any church.