I have been having a daily bible study in the mornings with
a young Cambodian man. He is almost eighteen and preparing to graduate from
high school. He is on fire for the Lord and has such a beautiful testimony that
constantly encourages me. Today we were reading 2 Corinthians chapter 8. This chapter is about Christian giving and
our interaction as we went through it really touched my heart and inspired me
to grow right along side of him.
And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace God
gave the churches in Macedonia. Although they have been tested by great
troubles and are very poor, they gave much because of their great joy. I can
tell you that they gave as much as they were able and even more than they could
afford. No one told them to do it. But they begged and pleaded with us to let
them share in this service for God’s people.
2 Corinthians 8:1-4 (Expanded Translation)
As we slowly read and talked about what it meant he simply
seemed to “get it.” Even though this is a young man who is currently dreaming
about being able to find a job making only $180 a month, his heart was so pure
that to accept this teaching just “made sense.” He talked about how Jesus had
given everything for him and it was only right for him to give back to the
people God loved. He talked about how he wanted to try and help support someone
more in need than him through a program being offered at church requiring a
pledge of $35 a month. That's almost 20% of his "dream income". He has such a beautiful heart.
You are rich in everything- in faith, in speaking, in knowledge, in
truly wanting to help, and in the love you learned from us. In the same way, be
strong also in the grace of giving. I am not commanding you to give. But I want
to see if your love is true by comparing you with others that really want to
help. You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though he was rich, for your
sake he became poor so that by his becoming poor you might become rich.
2 Corinthians 8:7-9 (Expanded Translation)
As we read together I felt convicted of the power of this
exchange going on between him, Holy Spirit, and myself. As I taught him, the
Lord was ministering to me. Just as Paul was speaking to the Corinthians, he
was also speaking to me.
If you want to give, your gift will be accepted. It will be judged by
what you have, not by what you do not have. We do not want you to have troubles
while other people are at ease, but we want everything to be equal. At this
time you have plenty and what you have can help others who are in need. Then
later, when they have plenty, they can help you when you are in need, and all
will be equal. As it is written in the Scriptures, “The person who gathered
more did not have too much, nor did the person who gathered less have too
little.”
2 Corinthians 8:12-15 (Expanded Translation)
My heart is obviously tugging within me to give. I realized that
the times I had not given was because my focus was on what I “do not have”
rather than what I do. Often I look at my circumstances based on what I was
taught growing up in America. But as I read these verses I realize that I
easily fall into the category of having plenty and there are millions around
the world that are in need of what I have excess of. I know the Lord has spoken
to me about specific things that I am to follow through with and I am so
excited to partner with him in opening up those doors. This exchange will align
me with the agenda of heaven in a way that I keep kingdom finances flowing. The
Lord will move upon the hearts of others for my provision if I am ever in need.
It’s such a freeing revelation!
If the Lord is speaking to you about specific ways that your
abundance could be meeting a need of someone else, would you join me in this
journey of growing in the grace of giving? Please pray and ask the Lord how you
can partner with Christians around the world that are in need of the very
things we have extra of. He is faithful and will direct you accordingly. This
is a season that He is preparing us for much bigger and greater things. I look
forward to this opportunity to grow with you!
God bless you, you are very loved!
Ward Farrior
