And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.
Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little."
~2 Corinthian 8
I think this is me. Eagerness to give; little actual giving. I talk a whole lot about wanting our country to help the poor, wanting others to help the poor, and wanting myself to help the poor. I realy don't give all that much. I give. I'm not a complete hypocrite. In fact, I don't know that it's actually a lack of giving that has me convicted. I think it's more a lifestyle of giving that I don't have. I give a decent amount, but I do it after I've bought for me. I don't have to sacrifice a whole lot to give. I usually give solely out of my excess. Not my excess after covering basic survival needs. I give out of my excess after I've gotten my luxuries. I know God's not necessarily calling me to be poor (as Paul says in the second paragraph), but he's certainly calling me to provide for others survival before I provide for my own luxury.
Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written: "He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little."
~2 Corinthian 8
I think this is me. Eagerness to give; little actual giving. I talk a whole lot about wanting our country to help the poor, wanting others to help the poor, and wanting myself to help the poor. I realy don't give all that much. I give. I'm not a complete hypocrite. In fact, I don't know that it's actually a lack of giving that has me convicted. I think it's more a lifestyle of giving that I don't have. I give a decent amount, but I do it after I've bought for me. I don't have to sacrifice a whole lot to give. I usually give solely out of my excess. Not my excess after covering basic survival needs. I give out of my excess after I've gotten my luxuries. I know God's not necessarily calling me to be poor (as Paul says in the second paragraph), but he's certainly calling me to provide for others survival before I provide for my own luxury.
1 comment:
acknowledging this is a great step, but don't let it become another thing that lip service is given to with no action. screw luxuries, save the world!
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