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Clinical psychology has concluded that generosity and kindness are good for your health: doing good deeds triggers your brain to release chemicals that make you feel better about life. This warm feeling is called a “helper's high.” You feel happy and fulfilled. Stress and negative emotions decrease. Even just deciding to do a good deed produces these positive results, the effects are both short-term and long-term. For example, lifespan has been found to increase among older adults who volunteer.
Giving is one of the great joys and privileges of the Christian life (v. 8). And since the self-centered pursuit of riches is sinful, it makes sense that generosity is part of simplicity. Simplicity of loving the right things brings the freedom to give lesser things. From what we've been given, whether or not we're considered wealthy by worldly standards, we are to practice generosity as a practical demonstration of our love for what is eternally valuable.
The example in today's passage is the Macedonian church (vv. 1-7; see also 2 Chron. 31). They gave sacrificially— from a human perspective, “beyond their ability.” Despite the suffering they were undergoing, their joy overflowed in giving. What's more, they didn't have to be begged or cajoled, but instead took the initiative and viewed giving as a privilege. In short, their giving was infused with God's grace.
What's the theological background for all
this? Nothing less than Christ's Incarnation
and mission of redemption (v. 9).
God becoming man is pictured as a rich
man becoming poor, and our salvation as
poor people becoming rich. For Paul, this
metaphor had literal economic implications
as well, since he used it to urge the
Corinthians to contribute to the offering
he was collecting for believers in Jerusalem.
They needed to step up to the plate
and share their resources, resting in the
faith that God never leaves us short, but
provides all that we need (vv. 10-15).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In obedience to today's verse, which is directed not only to the Corinthians but to all believers, we encourage you to seek out an extra giving opportunity this month, as the Lord leads and provides. If you think you have no “wiggle room” in your budget, ask Him to provide more money specifically so that you can give more this month. Also pray that He will show you a specific person or project to bless with your generosity.
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