2 Corinthians 8:1-9 ~ of their own accord

2 Corinthians 8:1-9

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio Bible

1 We want you to know, brothers, [brothers and sisters] about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor [can mean favor or grace or thanks] of taking part in the relief of the saints— 5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.

6 Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. 7 But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you [your love for us]—see that you excel in this act of grace also.

8 I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

Giving willingly. It stirs something within us to see humble generosity. An act of grace.

When I was in college, I was one of the ones at our nightly dinner table who rarely read the newspaper. I read papers all day long. My worldly and bouncy friend Missy asked us, in the early 1980's, if we'd read about the recent, devastating, no survivor, commercial airline crash. Only one of our 8 had. What was it? Missy put down her fork and looked up. The black box was found. The co-pilot was young and it was dark and completely foggy. The co-pilot had turned of the automatic sensor telling how close they were do the ground, suddenly the much older pilot realized they were crashing instead of landing. The pilot was barking orders and said, "What Happened!!?" The co-pilot was ashamed and cried out it was his fault. There was a brief silence. The co-pilot said, "I am so sorry." The pilot, they heard the cloth, reached out to the co-pilot and said, "I forgive you, son." And the terrible, cataclysmic accident with no survivors occurred.

It brought silence to our group and a few eyes with tears.

Our Church fed two hotels with Katrina evacuees for 2-3 months nightly from donations from our Church family and Dimassi's Mediterranean Restaurant daily leftovers. The group that stayed the longest was one huge, extended family. The night before we began moving them into safe, local apartments - they worked together to gather BBQ grills from us and they gave our Church a BBQ they put together. God bless them.

Actions of Grace.

Father God, lead me to be the one in conversations to have actions of compassion and mercy. Let me be on my way in the service of the saints. I thank God, who put into the heart, those who have given acts of grace and concern. Thank You, Father, for gifts of welcome, appeal and enthusiasm and initiative. Thank You, Father, for the people who inspire us. Bless those we hear of, and those we know, who give so willingly. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.


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