And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.

Devotion based on 2 Corinthians 8:1,2

It’s a scene that plays out, week after week, in church. The ushers walk down the aisle to pass the offering plates to the congregation. A young boy sees them approach and tugs on his mother’s sleeve. She reaches into her purse and gives him a five-dollar bill. His excitement is tangible as he watches the plate approach, and his joy is contagious when he finally puts the money in.

How can he give so enthusiastically? Why doesn’t he pocket his mom’s cash for himself? Because he knows that he doesn’t need the money. The mother who gave it to him will continue to take care of him, so why shouldn’t he be generous?

Amazingly, that was the attitude the Macedonian Christians had. They were extremely poor believers who were under pressure from a severe trial. That doesn’t seem to be a recipe for startling generosity. Does it? But despite their problems, they generously contributed to a humanitarian offering that the apostle Paul was gathering for Christians in Jerusalem.

How could they give so enthusiastically? Why didn’t they ask Paul to collect an offering for them? Because they knew that everything, they had was a gift from God. It was theirs in the same way that the boy’s five dollar bill was his. So, the question was not, “What do we want to do with our money?” The question was, “What does God want us to do with his money?”

They may not have been overflowing with resources, but they were overflowing with joy in the Lord, who was the source of their every blessing. Like the Macedonians, you have a God who has graciously forgiven you for Jesus’ sake. And whether he has given you a little or a lot of material wealth, you get to use it to serve his people. For Christians, one of life’s greatest joys is giving because they know that God joyfully gives them everything they need.

Prayer: