Rachel Workman: 8 Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters,[a] what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. 2 They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.
3 For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. 4 They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem.[b] 5 They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do.
6 So we have urged Titus, who encouraged your giving in the first place, to return to you and encourage you to finish this ministry of giving. 7 Since you excel in so many ways—in your faith, your gifted speakers, your knowledge, your enthusiasm, and your love from us[c]—I want you to excel also in this gracious act of giving. Greed has no place in our hearts when Christ resides there. However I am as guilty as the next. I love to give but find I'm greedy with simple things, stupid things really. I also find that I'm not as giving to those who I don't feel are as giving to me. Which is wrong. I'm called to be generous but not only with those who have something to offer me.
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John Burnett: 8 And now, brothers and
sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the
Macedonian churches. 2 In the midst of a very
severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich
generosity.3 For I testify that they gave as much as
they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their
own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the
privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. 5 And
they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord,
and then by the will of God also to us. 6 So we
urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also
to completion this act of grace on your part. 7 But
since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in
complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you[a]—see
that you also excel in this grace of giving. We are going to face trials
but these churches when facing severe trials gave beyond their ability. I
know that I have never exceeded expectations for giving.
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Allen Michaels: 8 And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to
know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 In
the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme
poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they
gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on
their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of
sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. 5 And they
exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and
then by the will of God also to us. The point of giving is not
so much the amount we give, but why and how we give. God does not want gifts
given grudgingly. Instead, he wants us to give as these churches did—out of
dedication to Christ, love for fellow believers, the joy of helping those in
need, as well as the fact that it was the right and good thing to do. 6 So we urged Titus, just as he had
earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your
part. The kingdom of God spreads through
believers’ concern and eagerness to help others. By joining with other
believers to do God’s work, we increase Christian unity and help the kingdom
grow. 7 But since you
excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness
and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of
giving. We should all be leaders in
giving. Giving is a natural response of love.
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Tomorrow's reading for 2 Corinthians 8:8-15
8 I am not commanding you to do
this. But I am testing how genuine your love is by comparing it with the
eagerness of the other churches.9 You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty he could make you rich.
10 Here is my advice: It would be good for you to finish what you started a year ago. Last year you were the first who wanted to give, and you were the first to begin doing it. 11 Now you should finish what you started. Let the eagerness you showed in the beginning be matched now by your giving. Give in proportion to what you have. 12 Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have. 13 Of course, I don’t mean your giving should make life easy for others and hard for yourselves. I only mean that there should be some equality. 14 Right now you have plenty and can help those who are in need. Later, they will have plenty and can share with you when you need it. In this way, things will be equal. 15 As the Scriptures say,
“Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over,
and those who gathered only a little had enough.”[d]
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