Today's Devotional

October 20, 2004

Subject:  Joy + Poverty = Generosity

2 Corinthians 8:2 - 3 "While they were being severely tested by suffering, their overflowing joy, along with their extreme poverty, has made them even more generous.  I assure you that by their own free will they have given all they could, even more than they could afford."

I remember reading a story once of a poor family in a small rural community who had gone through really hard times on their farm.  So much so that they often wondered where the next meal was coming from.  However, the pastor at their local church knowing of their plight, one Sunday asked that everyone contribute to an offering for this family.  Well there was a child in the family who had never been taught about poverty and only knew that people mattered.  As the offering plate passed, the child pulled out all the money she had, which was a few pennies, and gave it away with much cheerfulness, not realizing that she was giving to her own cause.

Giving is never something that we do so that we can receive back what we gave or even more than we gave.  Giving is something we do from the heart because we see the need and can help.    

The formula identified in the title runs totally counter to the world's view of how and why people give to help others.  We expect people like Bill Gates to give because of his material riches, but this says that "real" generosity comes from extreme poverty plus an overflowing joy and when that happens, people of their own free will, will give more than they can afford.  So today if you're not giving all you could, think about what's missing in the equation that produces generosity. 

 Carlen