"THE SOURCE OF GENEROUS GIVING"

"and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us."

2 Corinthians 8:5

If you're looking for the most generous people in the world, it's not the billionaire-turned-philanthropists and other wealthy individuals, who give stupendous amounts of money to charitable institutions. Why is that? Because most of the time, what they're offering is nothing compared to what is left in their bank accounts and other assets. Sure, their donations help multitudes of needy people, but that giving is nowhere near the level of generous, sacrificial Christian giving.

Following the examples of the Macedonians, our giving should be, first and foremost, proportional. We give in proportion to what we have. When we receive abundantly, we are to give generously. Second, we offer sacrificially. As the old saying says, "we give till it hurts". Lastly, it is voluntary. We give as an act of the will, seeing it as a privilege and not a burden.

The Bible requires no fixed amounts or percentages we are to give. God never intended our giving to be an obligation or an onus. Instead, He wants our giving to be a byproduct of a heart wholly devoted to Him.

Today's text gives us the reason behind the Macedonians' generous gift to the suffering Christians in Jerusalem: it's because "they gave themselves first to the Lord.” The Apostle Paul and his associates didn't expect the Macedonians to give the way they did. They were willing to sacrifice for the benefit of their brothers and sisters in Judea.

Their absolute devotion to the Lord enabled them to give sacrificially. They made everything they owned disposable and dispensable. They gave themselves to God, making Him their top priority.

The Macedonians expressed their worship of God by giving themselves to Him. As a result, generous giving came out naturally. They understood that to be selfless is God's good, pleasing, and perfect will for them (Romans 12:2). Their generosity proved that they loved the Lord with all their heart and soul.

Paul points out another reason behind the Macedonians' exemplary act of giving, which is submission to their pastors. Their wholehearted devotion to the Lord led them to submit to the leadership of the church unreservedly.

It is not uncommon in a church to see members refusing to submit to their pastors. Frequently, they are the ones who struggle at giving. Sadly, such resistance demonstrates a lack of devotion to the Lord. Why? Because if we give ourselves to God, we trust that the leaders whom He placed over us are His ordained servants. He wants us to respond not only to Him but to His leaders, too.

In conclusion, not only does our giving reflect what's in our hearts, but it also shows our level of commitment to the Lord. When we give consistently, selflessly, and willfully, we act in response to God's call to wholehearted devotion.

You don't have to be filthy rich to give generously. But you can allow God to govern your heart and see how He can turn anyone from a miserly surplus-giver to an openhanded, big-hearted disciple of Christ. Keep in mind: submission to God is the source of generous giving.

Pursue the Savior today!