Begin with 2 minutes of silence and stillness before God.

In this passage, we see that Paul is trying to motivate the Corinthians by using the Macedonian churches as an example. He wants them to see the results of a truly generous heart. He mentions all the challenges the Macedonians faced. He talks of their deep poverty, and how they still gave joyfully and generously. He said that they gladly gave whatever they had to help others see the love of Jesus. Paul encourages them by reminding them that they have been excelling in every other aspect of their faith journey. He says in verse 7, “But since you excel in everything - in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you – see that you also excel in this grace of giving.”

Giving is the evidence of God’s grace working in the giver. God has so freely given to us. Therefore, we should freely give to others. Everything we have belongs to the Lord. It is our role as believers to share our gifts with others. Paul tells us that giving is not a commandment, but it is a way to test the sincerity of a believer.

Here is a tough question: Are you willing to be generous even when faced with difficulties or limitations? It truly is a test of faith when you feel like you do not have enough to give, but you give anyway. Maybe you are in a tough financial season, and you feel like you just don’t have the money to give. Money is not the only gift, though. Time is a gift. We have a family motto: “The least we can do is show up.” It means that spending time with others in need, praying for them, and showing kindness doesn’t cost us a thing. It sounds simple, but when you have a hard week at work or a challenging day at school, you may feel like you just don’t have a minute to give. The Macedonian believers remind us that true generosity is not dependent on our wealth or abundance; it is a response to God’s grace and love.

This passage is more about the attitude we have towards giving. Godly generosity goes beyond material possessions; it is an overflow of God’s grace in our lives. It stems from a heart of trust in God’s provision. God has always supplied our needs, and He will continue to do so in the future. How can we become more generous with our giving? True generosity begins with surrendering our lives to God. Knowing that we fully belong to Him, and that everything we have is His leads us to developing a heart of contentment. This contentment enables us to give freely without any sense of loss. When we give, we are reflecting God’s love to those around us. It is not the act of giving, but it’s our heart behind it. When is the last time you gave generously not because you had to, but because you wanted to show God’s love through your giving?

Take 2 minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• What do you think of when you the topic of generosity comes up? Does it cause anxiety? Does your mind automatically go to financial giving?
  
• What are some practical ways that you can be generous with your time, money, and resources?
• Prayer: Dear God, thank You for the generosity and sacrifice you demonstrate through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Teach me this week what it looks like to extend generosity to those around me. Lord, show the ways in which I can be generous with Your many blessings in my life. In Jesus' name, amen.

Family Devo: 2 Corinthians 8  

By: Amanda Carpenter

When partnering with your family to know, love, and follow Jesus, we strive to create and share content filtered by the Head-Heart-Hands model.

Head: the knowledge of God and His Word | Heart: the personal connection from scripture | Hands: a missional mindset 

I love receiving gifts. Waking up on the morning of my birthday and receiving wrapped and homemade gifts is my favorite! But what about giving gifts? Have you ever bought someone a gift you were so excited to give that you just could not keep it a secret? I have! That moment was even more exciting than receiving a gift! 

In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul challenges the Corinthians to “do well in the grace of giving to others.” Let’s break this down a bit. Grace is showing goodness to someone who does not expect it or deserve it. For example, Jesus showed us grace when he gave us the gift of salvation by dying on the cross. When we do well in the grace of giving, we are following in the example of Christ. We are giving to others when they do not expect or deserve it. Remember these gifts do not have to be things. Often, these gifts are our time or jobs we can do to help someone. We give humbly, not expecting to receive anything in return. I pray that you receive joy in giving to others as Jesus received joy in giving His life for you.

Think of a time when you got really excited to give someone a gift. Why were you so excited? Just between you and me, did you keep it a secret?

How can you give to others? Remember this doesn’t have to be a physical gift. This can be the gift of spending time with someone or doing a chore for someone. Hint: Your parents LOVE it when you offer to help around the house. 

Prayer: Lord, help me to experience the joy of giving. Give me a heart to give of my time, talents, and things to help someone else. Open my eyes to other people’s needs so I can help them. Thank You so much for all the gifts You have given me. Amen.