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DAY 7: The Going Missionary
Missions Conference 2010 Devotional | View the Entire Devotional Series
READ 2 CORINTHIANS 8:1-12
We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 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. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.
I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. 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. And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. – 2 Corinthians 8:1-12
Paul writes to the church in Corinth and reminds them of some other churches, the Macedonians. Evidently they faced some severe and harsh trials. Maybe they were bruised and beaten for their faith? Maybe they were struck with famine? Maybe their economy crashed and many were without work? Maybe some were killed? Whatever the case, we do know from verse 2 that they experienced their most severe trial and that they lived in extreme poverty. But in the midst of this they maintained joy, and rich generosity sprung up from among them. Paul says they even begged to be able to give and be a part of what God was doing.
The Macedonian churches were full of giving missionaries. Sometimes we think (sometimes I think) that to be a giving missionary you’ve got to be loaded so that you can give enough to really make a difference. I catch myself thinking about how amazing it would be to have all kinds of money and be able to give lavishly and without constraint… Paul reminds me that some of the greatest giving missionaries were/are also the poorest.
Paul was challenging the church in Corinth to be like the Macedonian churches. In verses 7-8 he encourages them to excel in giving the way that they excel in everything else. To be generous. To be giving missionaries, people who give generously to fulfill the mission of God.
Even Jesus was a giving missionary. Verse 9 tells us that though Jesus was rich, for our sakes he become poor, giving up everything so that in his poverty we might become rich!
God blesses us so that we can bless others. In 2 Corinthians 9:10-12, Paul says, “10
Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. “
Are you willing to become a giving missionary? Remember, a fully devoted follower Gives Sacrificially. They’re joyfully willing to release their time, talent, and treasure to help further the Kingdom of God. That’s a giving missionary.
Journaling Questions
- How was it that the Macedonian churches were able to have rich generosity in the midst of “their most severe trial” and “extreme poverty”? Would you—do you—respond in the same way? Write about it.
- What things do you excel at? What are you good at? Make a list. Now go back and look at it. Was it easy to excel at those things? Did it take time to get good at them? What did you have to do to excel at those things?
- What steps could you take to begin excelling at the “grace of giving”? Be very specific. Think hard about this one, it will involve some hard choices, maybe some big lifestyle changes. Are you willing to become a giving missionary?