2 Corinthians Chapter 8
Showing all 24 verses for 2 Corinthians Chapter 8.
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"Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; "
"Now, friends, we want to tell you about the grace God has given the churches in Macedonia."
Even your ability to be generous is something you've been given, not something you earned - so give freely from what's already been freely given to you, rather than treating it as your own trophy.
"How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. "
"Even though they were going through severe hardship, their overflowing joy and their deep poverty somehow combined to produce rich generosity."
Don't wait until you feel wealthy or secure before you're willing to be generous - some of the richest giving in the world comes from people who have the least to spare.
"For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; "
"I can testify that they gave as much as they could afford, and even more than that - entirely of their own free will."
Real generosity sometimes means going past what feels safe or comfortable, but it should always be your own free choice - never something forced on you by guilt or someone else's demand.
"Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. "
"They begged us, again and again, to let them take part in this gift for God's people."
When you start seeing generosity as an honour rather than a tax on your life, everything about how you give changes - try asking to help before you're asked.
"And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. "
"And they exceeded our hopes - because first they gave themselves, wholeheartedly, to the Lord and to us, and everything else followed from that."
If your whole self is genuinely given over to love, generosity tends to follow naturally - don't try to fix stinginess as a habit on its own without first dealing with what your heart is actually holding onto.
"Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also. "
"So we asked Titus, since he'd already started this work with you, to help you finish it too."
Starting something kind is a good beginning, but I want you to be the kind of person who finishes what they promised - that's where trust is really built.
"Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. "
"You already excel in so much - faith, speech, knowledge, effort, and your love for us - so make sure you excel in this act of generosity too."
Don't let your good qualities stop at clever words and impressive ideas - make sure generosity is one of the things people actually know you for as well.
"I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. "
"I'm not ordering you to do this - I'm using the eagerness of others to test how genuine your own love really is."
I never want your love for people to be extracted from you through guilt or rules - I want to see what you'll freely choose to do when nobody is forcing you.
"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. "
"You know the generosity of our Lord Jesus Christ - though he was rich, he became poor for your sake, so that through his poverty you could become rich."
I gave up everything I had so that you could have what you actually needed - that's not a debt I'm calling in from you, it's simply the shape love takes, and I'm inviting you to live that same way towards others.
"And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago. "
"Here's my advice on this: it's in your own best interest, since you were the ones who started this a year ago - both wanting to do it and beginning to do it."
Be the kind of person whose actions eventually catch up with your good intentions - don't let a promise you were genuinely excited about quietly die from neglect.
"Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have. "
"So now finish what you started - match your earlier willingness with actually doing it, giving from what you have."
I'm not asking for what you don't have - only for you to follow through on what you already decided to do, using what you do have.
"For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. "
"If the willingness is there, the gift is judged by what you actually have, not by what you don't have."
I never measure your generosity against someone else's bank balance - only against your own willing heart and what's actually within your reach.
"For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened: "
"I don't mean for others to be relieved of their burden while you're left struggling."
I never want your kindness towards someone else to come at the cost of your own genuine wellbeing being ignored - care for yourself is part of loving well, too.
"But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality: "
"It's about balance: right now your surplus can meet their need, and in future their surplus can meet yours - so things even out."
Think of what you have as something meant to flow through you to help others, trusting that the same kind of care will flow back to you when your own time of need comes.
"As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack. "
"As it's written in scripture: the one who gathered a lot had no surplus, and the one who gathered only a little had no shortage."
Aim for enough for everyone, not more and more for some - trust that sharing what you have tends to lead to just the right amount going around, rather than scarcity.
"But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you. "
"Thank God, who's put the same genuine concern for you into Titus's heart."
It's a real gift when someone else genuinely shares your concern for other people - be thankful for those partners, and don't try to carry everything by yourself.
"For indeed he accepted the exhortation; but being more forward, of his own accord he went unto you. "
"He didn't just accept our request - he was so keen that he went to you entirely on his own initiative."
Doing the right thing because you genuinely want to, and not just because someone asked you to, is where real character shows itself.
"And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches; "
"We're sending along with him a brother who's respected for his gospel work in every church."
Surround important, sensitive work with people others already trust - it protects everyone involved, including you, from suspicion and from temptation.
"And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind: "
"What's more, the churches themselves chose him to travel with us as we carry out this generous gift - for God's glory, and to show how ready you are to give."
Let your good work be seen and vouched for by others, not just done quietly on your own where no one else can check it - that kind of openness protects trust.
"Avoiding this, that no man should blame us in this abundance which is administered by us: "
"We're doing this so no one can criticise us over how we're handling this large sum of money."
Guard your integrity not only by being honest, but by making your honesty visible and checkable - don't just trust people to take your word for it.
"Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. "
"We want to do what's right, not only before God but visibly, before people too."
Don't just be good when no one's watching - also take reasonable, practical steps so that people can actually see your good faith and trust it.
"And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things, but now much more diligent, upon the great confidence which I have in you. "
"We're also sending a third brother with them - someone we've tested and found reliable many times before, and who's even more eager now because of how much confidence he has in you."
When people put their confidence in you, let that trust inspire you to live up to it, not tempt you to take advantage of it.
"Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerning you: or our brethren be enquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ. "
"If anyone asks about Titus - he's my partner, working alongside me for you. And as for the other brothers - they represent the churches and bring honour to Christ."
Speak up for people you genuinely trust - your honest word about someone can open doors for them that they couldn't open by themselves.
"Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf. "
"So show them, and show the churches watching, real proof of your love - and prove that what I've boasted about you is actually true."
Let your love be something people can actually see in what you do, not just something you talk about or feel privately.