When The Ordinary Became Extraordinary
December 21, 2024
"The gift without the giver "
February 22, 2017
And this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us. -II CORINTHIANS 8:5
Paul held up the Christians at Macedonia as an example to his Corinthian friends. The Macedonians (who had little) had given liberally to the Jerusalem church…and the Corinthians (who had much more) had promised aid, but done nothing. But Paul’s
most convicting description of these generous believers was not about money, but about heart. “They first gave themselves,” he said.
God is not honored when we “tip” Him with our money but withhold from Him ourselves. The gift without the giver is bare. Those Macedonian givers climbed into the offering plate with their gift. They didn’t just nod at God with a few coins…they put their very lives at His disposal. What a radical act of faith!
Jesus illustrated this best when He instructed His disciples to “render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s…and to God the things that are God’s.” Well, what is God’s? We are! Jesus picked up a coin to drive home His point, saying, “Whose picture is on this coin?” They answered the obvious: "Caesar’s." What has God’s picture on it? You and I do. We are made in the image of God, and His picture is etched on your life and mine in an indelible way. When we give ourselves along with our gifts, our offering is sacrificial, spontaneous and spiritual. And we can be sure that God is honored by it.
most convicting description of these generous believers was not about money, but about heart. “They first gave themselves,” he said.
God is not honored when we “tip” Him with our money but withhold from Him ourselves. The gift without the giver is bare. Those Macedonian givers climbed into the offering plate with their gift. They didn’t just nod at God with a few coins…they put their very lives at His disposal. What a radical act of faith!
Jesus illustrated this best when He instructed His disciples to “render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s…and to God the things that are God’s.” Well, what is God’s? We are! Jesus picked up a coin to drive home His point, saying, “Whose picture is on this coin?” They answered the obvious: "Caesar’s." What has God’s picture on it? You and I do. We are made in the image of God, and His picture is etched on your life and mine in an indelible way. When we give ourselves along with our gifts, our offering is sacrificial, spontaneous and spiritual. And we can be sure that God is honored by it.
