SHOCKING GENEROSITY

“SHOCKING GENEROSITY”   

David Smith

Last year, we focused on audacious risk taking.   A friend brought me a “word” that I thought especially addressed the audacious risk taking opportunity we have in the opportunity to give. 

 It is Second Corinthians 8:1-15.         
 Reading from “The Message” translation of the Bible by Eugene Peterson.
“Now, friends, I want to report on the surprising and generous ways in which God is working in the churches in Macedonia province.   Fierce troubles came down on the people of those churches, pushing them to the very limit.  The trial exposed there true colors:  They were incredibly happy, though desperately poor.   The pressure triggered something totally unexpected:  an outpouring of pure and generous gifts.  I was there and saw it for myself.   They gave offerings of whatever they could—far more than they could afford!—pleading for the privilege of helping out in the relief of poor Christians.
This was totally spontaneous, entirely their own idea, and caught us unexpectedly off guard.  What explains it was they had first given themselves unreservedly to God and to us.  The other giving simply flowed out of the purposes of God working in their lives.  That’s what prompted us to as Titus to bring the relief offering to your attention, so that what was so well begun could be finished up.   You do so well in so many things—you trust God, you’re articulate, you’re insightful, you’re passionate, you love us—now, do your best in this too.
I am not trying to order you around against your will.  But by bringing in the Macedonians’ enthusiasm as a stimulus to your love, I am hoping to bring the best out of you.  You are familiar with the generosity of our Master, Jesus Christ.  Rich as he was, he gave it all away for us—on one stroke he became poor and we became rich.
So here’s what I think:  The best thing you can do right now is to finish what you started last year and not let those good intentions grow stale.   Your heart’s been in the right place all along.   You’ve got what it takes to finish it up, so go to it.”

Through the years the saints of Vision of Hope have been very much like the churches in Macedonia—shockingly generous, giving more than they appeared to have.   A building was purchased and renovated, families were fed, conferences were attended by many members,  and children and adults received awesome education. However, in God’s economy there is always more available than we seem to have.   We begin to realize the fullness of God and our resources as we test their availability.
Paul addresses the church at Corinth and he tells them that they “do so well in so many things…now do your best in this too.” 
When the one known as the “rich young ruler” came to Jesus asking what he must do to follow Christ, and offered a list of all that he was accomplishing, Jesus told him that he had one sticking point, in the area of his finances.   Unfortunately, rather than yield in this “bottle-neck” in his life, the ruler went away said. 
Vision of Hope, have finances become our sticking point—the one area where we are not fully trusting God to provide.   I encourage us using Paul’s words:

“You’ve got what it takes to finish it up, so go to it”