Giving

"…they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.”

2 Cor. 8:4

My daughter snuggled up to me as the worship team played, her eyes big and solemn but a little shy. In a whisper she said, “I want my dollar to go to them.” The senior pastor was making a plea for help for a church in another town in need. His words had hit their mark in my serious minded, freckle-nosed seven year-old. The words echoed a preacher’s plea of some two thousand years before, “But just as you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us see that you also excel in this grace of giving” (2 Cor. 8:7). The little dollar, a portion of what she had earned doing chores dutifully at home, was pressed into my hand as she left for Sunday School, “don’t forget, it’s for the special offering at the end.” Again, God’s living Words resonate, “For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one doesn’t have” (2 Cor. 8:12). She never considered that she didn’t have enough to make a difference; she just gave. Her obedience overflowed with compassion and sincerity …and diligence. “Don’t forget.”

It is so easy to think of what we don’t have or assume the need is too great. The Corinthian church was being gently reminded by Paul of how, despite “severe trial” the Macedonian churches were giving…”their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.” The contradiction of extreme poverty causing joy and rich generosity is like a seven year-olds crumpled note in the collection plate in God’s economy - giving both joy in gracious faithfulness and provision to those receiving the offering. The giving “as much as we are able, even beyond our ability…Entirely on our own” (2 Cor. 8:3) is all this earthly parent could wish for and is what our heavenly Father requires.

{This was what we contributed to our church devotional for the month of the Capital Giving Campaign. A neat thing happened today - Rachel, who this story is about, picked up the devotional and started reading it. She got to our entry. She looked up at me with glowing eyes and said, "Thanks for saying those nice things about me." My heart was so blessed. I am so glad that she got a glimpse of what it must be like when our Heavenly Father is proud of us doing His will when it comes to giving. yvette}