We ask how much a man gives;
Christ asks how much he keeps.
(Andrew Murray)
Not how much we give, but how much we do
not give, is the test of our Christianity.
(Oswald Chambers)
A giving Saviour should have giving
disciples.
(J.C.Ryle)
This is the FIRST of a FIVE-PART blog on giving. It's a subject Christians
don't like talking about very much, but as we're going to see it's an essential
part of our discipleship and a good test of our spiritual health...
The story is told of a bank who hired a private investigator to track
down a bank robber to retrieve money he’d stolen from them. The search led the
investigator to Mexico .
However because he couldn’t speak Spanish, the investigator realized he would
need an interpreter and so he hired a local man.
After many days, he finally captured the bank robber and through the
interpreter asked him, ‘So, where did you
hide the money?’
In Spanish, the thief responded, ‘What
money? I have no idea what you're talking about.’
With that the investigator drew his pistol, pointed it at the suspect
and said to the interpreter, ‘Tell him
that if he doesn't tell me where the money is, I will shoot him where he
stands!’
Upon receiving this message, the bank robber said to the interpreter: ‘Señor, I have hidden the money in a coffee
can, under the fourth floorboard, in the second-floor men's room of the Palacio
Hotel on Via Del Rio in La Paz
‘What did he say?’ the investigator asked the interpreter.
‘Señor,’ said the interpreter after a moment’s
hesitation, ‘he says he is prepared to
die like a man!’
Isn’t it’s amazing how money can bring out the worst in people?
However
the Bible says that money should bring the best out of a true Christian!
Writing to Christians living in the wealthy city of Corinth , the apostle Paul encouraged them to
be joyful givers:
Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Cor 9:7)
The Greek word translated ‘cheerful’
there is the word ‘hilaros’ from
which we get or English word ‘hilarious’. It’s the only time in the Bible it’s used and it’s in connection with giving! Paul
challenges us as Christians to be hilarious
givers!
The
Situation in Corinth
The background to what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 8-9 is the plight of
the Christians in Jerusalem
who were under great financial pressure because of a famine sweeping throughout
the region. Paul had highlighted this need during an earlier visit to Corinth and the Christians
had been keen to contribute to the fund then. However for some reason their desire
to give had cooled off.
And so Paul challenges them again:
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. (2 Cor 8:10-11)
Paul devotes two chapters in 2 Corinthians to the subject of giving. He
attempts to rekindle the Corinthian’s desire to give generously, by reminding
them that God loves cheerful givers.
And God hasn’t changed – he still loves it when his people are
‘hilarious’ givers!
