Whenever a verse starts with “And” I have to look and see what the first part of the conjunction is. Without it, the thought isn’t complete.
Before today’s verse, Paul says the relatively well-known verse, “…God loves a cheerful giver.”
Giving is hard. Why? Partly because we humans cannot predict the future, so we like to store up extra “just in case.” But it’s hard to know how much is enough to have extra, and impossible to know how much extra will be enough!
If I give some to you now, I might not have enough later. Scary.
In today’s verse Paul is telling me that I don’t need to be afraid. God is enough. More than enough in fact. He uses the word “overflow” in fact.
No matter what we are talking about giving here (time, money, energy, stamps, parking spaces, cups of sugar, squares of toilet paper…), God is able to provide more than I need. He says God will provide grace (aka unearned favor) so that I will always have everything I need in every way. I don’t need to worry or hoard or be stingy or starve myself either.
Why does God do this for me when I don’t deserve it? So that I can stop focusing on my needs and start focusing on loving other people — so that I may “excel in every good work.” In order to be a cheerful giver, I have to stop worrying about the what-ifs of my future and worry about the right-nows of someone else. God promises to take care of my future needs if I use what He’s blessed me with to help someone out today.
God doesn’t need me to give, don’t get me wrong. The person He plans for me to help will get help from someone else if God wants them to be helped. However, if I don’t do it, I will miss out on the joy of seeing someone’s situation improved and the joy of seeing God provide for me when I need it! And God really wants me to experience these joys.
It’s like an investment. I can put my $10 under my mattress. Or I can invest it with God. I have to give it away to invest it though, just like I would if I were investing it with a bank. If I opt for the mattress plan, I will have my $10 next year, safe and sound, probably. If I opt to invest it instead, I will be overflowing with dividends forever.
Dear God,
Thank you for your promise to provide for me when I don’t hold on too tightly to what you’ve already given me. Give me the courage to give cheerfully and generously and to trust you to provide for my needs. Show me the good works you have planned for me to invest my resources in today. Forgive me for ever letting fear hold me back.
CamDevo 