Friday 19th May
Read 2 Corinthians 9:1-5
“There is no need for me to write to you about this service to the Lord’s people. 2 For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. 3 But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you in this matter should not prove hollow, but that you may be ready, as I said you would be. 4 For if any Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we—not to say anything about you—would be ashamed of having been so confident. 5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.” (NIVUK)
Are you even a little squeamish reading these words? In a sense, all Paul is saying is ‘pony up the cash or you’ll embarrass me, embarrass yourselves and look awful’’. I will confess to a strong allergic reaction to this kind of appeal, an appeal with dollops of shame and prospective guilt. So much so that if I were in the congregation in Corinth I would almost not give on principle – totally grudging!
However Paul’s words are less about using guilt and emotional blackmail to generate funds for the impoverished in Judea but more about reminding them of the gospel itself. There are two pillars that run through these chapters on giving – the first is that the gospel inspires and results in generous people, not grudging givers. The second is that promises matter. Integrity is central. If you say you will do something then you need to follow through with it, even if it is hard or inconvenient.
Generosity and integrity. Following Jesus results in both. Although we may fail and will never be perfect, abdicating our responsibility to be both generous and faithful and striving for those goals is simply not an option. We will be forgiven when we fail because He is faithful and just. But those who are forgiven much, must generously and faithfully give/forgive. Squeamishness covers a multitude of sins.
