In his second letter to the Corinthian church, Paul spoke about joy leading to generosity. 2 Corinthians 8: 1Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. 2 They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity. [1]
On his third missionary trip, Paul was revisiting the churches in Macedonia he had planted during his second trip. These were in northern Greece, and Paul had faced persecution in each town. In Phillipi, Paul had been beaten and imprisoned. At Thessalonica, Paul had to hide from a mob. The Jews of Thessalonica followed Paul to Berea, where they continued to make trouble. Despite persecution, churches of believers who had experienced the grace of Jesus continued to grow in each city.
Poor But Joyful
The believers in Macedonia may have been poor because of their faith. More than likely, they lost their jobs or were excluded from their trade guilds for refusing to engage in idolatry. The word Paul uses to describe their poverty means “rock-bottom destitution.” The term describes a beggar who has absolutely nothing and has no hope of getting anything.[2]
Yet joy in the midst of persecution overflowed into generosity. This doesn’t make sense to us in worldly terms. Only in terms of Jesus’ renewing power can we understand this. Romans 12: 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect[3]
These new believers understood the grace of God in their lives. Christ’s transformative love had changed them. Because Christ loved them, they in turn were filled with joy and a willingness to love others. It didn’t matter that they didn’t have much financially; they were rich in faith. That had changed how they stewarded the blessings they did have.
Joy of Helping Others
The believers in the Macedonian churches did not give begrudgingly. They gave to help other believers. It was a small token of their appreciation to God for knowing Jesus in this life and the promise of the next. They gave because they had dedicated their lives to Jesus and because Jesus loved them, they could love others. So, they gave out of joy, and by giving they had even more joy because they could help others.
Paul is writing the letter to the Corinthian church from Macedonia, where he is observing their giving, joyful spirit. He is trying to pastor the Corinthians from a distance and wants them to experience the same joy as the Macedonian churches. The word Paul uses for generous means free from pretense and hypocrisy, not self-seeking, and having an openness of heart manifesting itself by giving.[4]
This letter continues to encourage us today. Can we be joyful and generous no matter the circumstances we experience? Can we take our eyes off ourselves to open our hearts in giving? Where is our joy leading to generosity? To learn more, listen here:
[1,3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (2 Co 8:1–2). Tyndale House Publishers.
[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 655). Victor Books.
[4] Strong, J. (1995). In Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship.