Hope-Filled Christian
Hope-Filled Christian
The Domino Effect of Selfless Giving: Insights from 2nd Corinthians Chapter 9
What if generosity wasn't just about giving money, but a multifaceted concept that encompasses time, resources, and compassion? Join us as we unravel the teachings of 2nd Corinthians, chapter 9, and explore the transformative power of generosity. It's a topic that demands our attention, urging us to transcend the physical and embrace the spiritual fruits of patience, wisdom, and selflessness. As we delve into the beauty of giving and the impact it can make in the lives of those around us, we hope to inspire you to be a cheerful giver, just as God intended.
Now, imagine being generous even in the face of adversity. That's the challenge we grapple with in the second part of our conversation. Listen closely as we dissect the essence of true generosity and love, a stark contrast to the self-centered narrative often pushed by our world. Uncover how generosity isn't a requirement but a gift, and the power of having the right mindset when giving. We promise that by the end of this discussion, you'll not only grasp the domino effect of giving but also appreciate how this cycle of grace can ignite a chain reaction of positivity and nurture relationships.
Hi and welcome to HFC. This week we're focusing on the idea or the concept or the topic of not sure which we're to go with generosity. So in order to speak on this, we're looking at 2nd Corinthians, chapter 9, specifically at verse 6 through sorry, I'm going to go ahead and read it, I just, yeah. It says Remember this whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver and God is able to bless you abundantly. So, in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written, they have freely scattered their gifts to the poor. Their righteousness endures forever. Now, he who supplies seed to the seller and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion and, through us, your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. It goes on to say this service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord's people, but it's also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves. Others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else, and in their prayers for you, their hearts will go out to you because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.
Speaker 1:In short, I feel like the first part is talking about, or speaking to, those of us who struggle to give, myself included, because it's not just talking about money, it's not just talking about physical things, but also giving of everything giving of yourself, giving of your time, giving of your money, giving of your kindness, being generous with everything that we have been given by God, with all the fruits of the spirit, patience, wisdom, our selflessness, things like that justice, giving of everything that we have. And I love the part that says Now, he who supplies seed to the silver and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness, because it speaks to those people who are like Well, I don't have enough time, I don't have enough of this, I don't have enough of that. I don't have enough money. I don't have enough. You know capability. I don't know enough knowledge, and it's just going to speak to the fact that when you do as God has called you to do, he's going to supply you with enough, whatever you need, whether that's time, money, patience, whatever it may be.
Speaker 1:But the second part I love is because I've never actually known this Like. I know that it's good to be generous and I know that it's. You know that God will bless you and stuff. But I've never read that like later part, the part that starts in verse 12 that says this service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Like I.
Speaker 1:It's one of those things where I like to say that there are things that I feel like are common sense. Like you know that in being generous, that's a way that you praise God and you kind of share the word of God, because you're being a living testimony. You're showing people oh, this is such and such. Oh, this is, this is what you should be doing, this is what you know it means to be a Christian. Oh, this is the love of God and you're sharing that kind of stuff. But it's one thing to like know it and like have that in your common sense, but another thing to actually have it in word, where it says this service that you perform or it's talking about being generous is not only supplying the needs of Lord's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.
Speaker 1:Not one way not giving things to God, but many expressions of giving things to God. And this is because of the service by which you have proved yourselves. Others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ. So because of your obedience, they will profess and they'll praise God for the ways that you have been obedient. So you're bringing people to God. That's, that's just one way you're thinking God by doing what we were sent here to do, which is to spread the good word and Just share the good news about God and his sacrifice.
Speaker 1:And all of that stuff Continues to say Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies the confession of the gospel of Christ and for your generosity and sharing with them and with everyone else. And Then here's kind of like the payback, like in a good way, no, like a bad way, like, oh, he's gonna get payback. It says in in their prayers for you, their hearts will go out to you because of the surpassing grace God is giving you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift. And I kind of like that. I I like that last verse because I feel like I was like reading stuff in Stories and stuff. I'm like, ooh, that has a double meaning. Ooh, that's so cool.
Speaker 1:And you start talking about the multiple meanings that could be having. And I love that last verse thanks be to God for his indescribable gift because what it makes me think about Is the fact that this, this is like the gift that keeps on giving. God has given you grace and then you're, because of God's gift of grace, you're able to give to others. So God's initial gift is gifting you, then that gift is gifting someone else and then you're giving them the possible gift I'm not saying it's always gonna happen, but the possible gift of salvation as they come to know God through you. So that's like three gifts God's gift to you, your gift to someone else, god's gift to that person as they get closer to them oh, sorry, as they get closer to God, him, then their gift to you, as it says and I don't think this is gonna happen all the time, but there are gonna be people like thank God for this person, thank God for the person in the show, and even if it doesn't happen from them, it's God giving blessings for your obedience.
Speaker 1:But so there's the gift of God giving you the initial grace, you giving the gift of whatever generosity you're showing them receiving a gift from God, and then God or them, god gifting you for your, for your obedience Also, possibly them gifting you, you know, praying and giving thanks for you because of your obedience and because you were generous, and it's just like, wow, it's like there's just so much gift from God, wow, it's like there's just so much gift giving here, and it's like it's I think of dominoes or you know, um, I think of like A fire, which is kind of weird because God's always talked about like as a fire, like a purifying fire and whatnot. But I always like to think of God's love is almost contagious when we've experienced it. It just continues to grow and grow and grow, like a seed, which is another A constant thing, that God is being compared to you and reaching out and roots that are being Spread out and reaching far further than we ever imagined them could, that they could be. And I just think, like the gift of generosity is so insane because it's first, initially, god's gift of grace towards us, our gift towards someone else, the gift of God to that person Because they could reach salvation through that. Their gift, you know, towards us. Even if it's not immediately, that person could go on to become, you know, someone who is in a different position when we need help, and they're the one doling out grace. And so it's like we're just building this like positive feedback loop of Of grace, giving, of generosity, as we give them, they give and we give and they give, and and then we're reaching more people and then those more people are being pulled in and it's like we need help with this and that person's helping because they remember it, how we helped, and now they know the grace of God and it's the gift that never stops giving. And it's just it's so crazy to think about it like that and honestly, I wasn't planning to talk about this. I wanted to share a verse, but I guess I'll just save that for next week.
Speaker 1:But, um, kind of the reason that I was thinking about this is because we're going into a really tough time. The world is getting very, very difficult, and I feel like in my mind, especially as the world gets more difficult and we start to see things take a downturn, our immediate thought is not to give. Our immediate thought is to hold. Our immediate thought is to keep to be afraid to lose. And I think of the parable About the boss or the owner who gave each, each of the people Um at the talent, or like the gold coins is what I like to imagine the mass. And there was the one who, you know, doubled what the boss had given them. There's one, that who got a little bit more, and then there's one that hit it and was still afraid to lose it that when the owner came back he was so upset he's like I'd rather you've lost it, you know, investing it or doing something with it, rather than to just let it sit there and hide it and have nothing happen with it. And so that's what I'm thinking of now.
Speaker 1:Like, as you know, the world continues to spiral into the mess that it's going into right now. There's going to be more and more a call internally, like a fleshly desire to hold in all of the things that we have when, in reality, we should be doing the opposite. We should be being generous, we should be defying what the world says. Right now, the world is going to say to watch out for yourself, take care of yourself. But God calls us to be generous, and God calls us to be loving, and God calls us to be giving and kind, whether it's you're giving with your time or your patience, or even just kindness, because, oh my gosh, the world is so crazy right now that it's so easy to find people who are rude, who are going to put you down. That's so hard to find people who are uplifting, who says or who say you know what, like that person, just, you know, absolutely, just completely disrespecting me, and I have every right, every single right, to come back at them with something. But I'm going to be kind, I'm going to be loving and I'm just going to ask God how can I fix this? Or what do I do in this situation? Why so badly want to retaliate and have revenge or come back or something, and where do you want this to go? It's just.
Speaker 1:I feel like, as I was reading this, I was just thinking about. We have to remember that it's a gift, it's not a requirement or a punishment. And as we, you know, go into this time where the world is getting worse and worse and worse and worse and worse and the economy is like going all crazy and whatever, and interest rates and all that stuff and inflation rates are like skyrocketing or whatever. That generosity is not a burden, it's the gift that keeps on giving. It's a way to bless others but also bless ourselves. But I do want to keep in mind it does say each of you should give what you have decided in your heart. This is verse seven to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And I feel like we have to be in the right mind. So I'm not just giving because, oh yeah, I want more blessings. Let me just toss out I don't really think anybody ever does that because it's I mean, I don't know. Maybe there are people Like I can't imagine myself just throwing out money to throw out money, because it's like, oh yeah, that's some insane thoughts.
Speaker 1:But I do think that it's important with to keep in mind what mindset or what posture we're giving with. Are we giving to get or are we giving to give? And I don't really care if I ever see that money again. I'm giving because I know that one time and one or multiple times, I was need and God gave to me. And so I'm gonna give to you, as God gave to me, to share the love that God has given me. And I think that's a wonderful gift to be in a situation or to have an opportunity where we can share the love that God once gave to us. Because what is love if we don't share it, if we hold it internally, if that's not love, that's obsession. I mean, it's not gonna grow, it's just going to eventually die out. It's like it's crazy, I don't know.
Speaker 1:I just think it's an amazing opportunity and if we can remember that and keep that mindset that this is an opportunity, this is not a burden, this is not a requirement, this is a blessing, it's a gift to be able to give, not only because we're gonna receive all these blessings, but because there's something so fulfilling, so satisfying about when you're kind to someone or when you're giving someone something like your time, your energy, you're just even in ear, someone to listen to them, or something like that. I just think it's important to have that mindset, especially as we're going into more and more difficult times. I'm not saying that it's ever not been difficult, but things are getting more difficult. I don't think it's weird to say that. And I think it's important to have that mindset because our first initial instinct is going to be to not give, but in reality we should be giving, because that's not only a gift to ourselves, it's a gift to them and it's just like keep that mindset. It's not a burden, it's a blessing, it's God's as it says in verse 15, indescribable gift.
Speaker 1:Anyway, as always, let's go ahead and pray really quickly. Dear God, first of all, thank you for the grace for which you have given to all of us, because we are all undeserving of your love. We are all undeserving of the way and the passion that you have for us, the way that you reach out to us and forgive us time after time after time, undeserving of the sacrifice that you made, undeserving of your mercy. We are undeserving of everything that you have for us. You are a great and magnificent God that we could never put these or you into words, we could never fully capture just who you are. All right, thank you for sharing this verse with us and I pray that you help us to remember this as we're moving and being put into opportunities to give, whether it's our time, money, you name it. Lord, just help us to be obedient, but not only obedient, but be in the right minds. That Lord prepare us in, not to say that this is all on you to prepare us, but help us to allow ourselves to be prepared, to be humble and just open to what's going on and having the correct minds and having the correct posture to give and to want to give and to love to give, and just reminding us that it's a gift to give and it's not a requirement or a burden. Lastly, lord, I pray that you forgive us of our sins. Lead us not into temptation. In the name of Jesus, amen.
Speaker 1:Thanks for listening to this week's episode of HFC. I really hope you enjoyed it and helped you receive something. I'm sorry if I felt or talked a little funny. I'm still getting over sickness, my voice still feels like it's funny and it feels like because of the inhaler I've been using. It's super dry, so I feel like I'm mumbling over anything. Anyway, have a great week. God bless you. See you next week. God bless you.