The Priviledge of Sharing

Good Morning,

2 Corinthians 8:1-5 (NIV)
And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will.

"...they urgently pleaded with us for the PRIVILEGE OF SHARING..."

I ask you to stop a moment and think about that statement. Okay. Now, think about everything that God has provided to and for you. For some of us our provision is great. For others our provision is meager. For most of us our provision is adequate...not great and not meager...but enough and even more than enough. Now the tough part. Let's think about HOW and WHAT we feel about the statement above. That is: How, exactly, do we feel about sharing being a privilege?

It's unfortunate that we've been taught from an early age (most of us anyway) that we are to think about "number one" first and foremost, above everything else. Again, for most of us, the idea of sharing, especially if our provisions are meager, is just sort of out there...in this me, me, me world. But, we read in today's Scripture about the Macedonian churches who shared with others even out of their "severe trial" and their "extreme poverty" and, still, it welled up in "rich generosity." Seems sort of amazing, doesn't it? That those who had so little thought that sharing was a privilege?

To take it a step further, there is the fact that it is the least among us who give and share the most. It is those who have been blessed with little who seem to be those who want to share even the very little that they have. I don't have the numbers easily at hand I'm sorry to say, but I know that I've read several studies which have reported research that bears this out. The results of the research done prove that it is the poorest among us who give, at least proportionately, much more than the wealthiest among us. Kind of strange, isn't it? You'd think those results would show exactly the opposite. But, time after time...over and over...from times reported over 2,000 years ago, this fact continues to be just that...a fact.

So, how DO you feel about sharing what it is that God has blessed you with and provided for your family? Do you feel it a privilege? Or, like many of us, is it an obligation?

Think about it. I know I have to, as well.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David