19 June - 2 Corinthians 9

Today we’re reading 2 Corinthians 9 together. Here are some quick thoughts:

1. The main theme of this chapter is a continuation of yesterday; generosity. 
2. Paul is giving them a heads up in the first part of the chapter. The church had promised a big amount of money to help people less fortunate. He is informing them that he is sending someone to pick up the gift they promised last year. Paul basically tells them that saying something is great but now it’s time to back it up with actions.
3. However, he tells them not to give out of obligation. Only give if they really want to help people. The same is true for us today. God doesn’t want us to give to him because we feel we have to. God wants us to really desire to help other people and to give back to him as an act of worship. 
4. Paul says that God rewards those who give back to him and to help others. This is an idea that many people get wrong. God doesn’t promise to give back to you only in a monetary form. Maybe it’s in other ways that God blesses you. Perhaps he gives you a more cheerful heart, or a better marriage, or finally your kids want to hang out with you. There are countless ways that God gives to us and we shouldn’t give money back to him thinking he’s going to give us a ton of money in return. All the other blessings are really more important than money anyways.

Would God consider you a generous person? Are you someone who gives because you want to or because you feel you have to? We should all ask God to help us live more generous lives.