Generosity Encouraged This Christmas Season

2 Corinthians 8:1-12 (New International Version)

Generosity Encouraged - This Christmas Season

1And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. 5And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will. 6So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us[a]—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. 8I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. 10And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. 11Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.

In today’s reading the following message stuck out to me: 10”And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. 11Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have”.

As Christmas time is always a time of giving, I feel that the Lord is telling us that although some may have the means to give financially, we should not get caught up in the “material” aspects of giving and be eager in doing so according to our means. If you have the means do something special for someone who doesn’t have the means do something special for someone who doesn't. Society has taken giving gifts during Christmas time to the extreme. In today’s’ economy gifts such as "celebrating the Lord’s birth - which should be our focus", spreading God’s love, joy, peace, one’s service toward another, a simple card, making a homemade item, showing someone you care, as well as gifts from the heart are gifts “acceptable to what one has, not according to what he does not have”.

Christmas is a time of great “joy”. We should not “allow” ourselves to be overwhelmed by the world’s opinion of what Christmas means which enables us to take our minds off of the real reason for the season. There are so many messed up and hurting people in the world who have this misconception. They need us as Christians to be “the light” that sets the example by showing them that “material things” fade away, but the “abundance of Christmas is God’s love, compassion, mercy, kindness, forgiveness and grace” are gifts that last a lifetime.

My prayer: I pray that in your distress in your need that you might feel God's love when you pray in the fullness of your joy and in your days of abundance also. Let us rejoice and take time to celebrate Jesus’ birth this Christmas season. Amen