2Corinthians 8

The Offering

8Now, friends, I want to report on the surprising and generous ways in which God is working in the churches in Macedonia province.G1161G80G1107G5213G1107G5485G2316G1325G1722G1577G31092Fierce troubles came down on the people of those churches, pushing them to the very limit. The trial exposed their true colors: They were incredibly happy, though desperately poor. The pressure triggered something totally unexpected: an outpouring of pure and generous gifts.G3754G1722G4183G1382G2347G4050G846G5479G2532G846G899G2596G4432G4052G1519G4149G846G5723I was there and saw it for myself. They gave offerings of whatever they could—far more than they could afford!—G3754G2596G1411G3140G2532G5228G1411G8304pleading for the privilege of helping out in the relief of poor Christians.G1189G2257G3326G4183G3874G2248G1209G5485G2532G2842G1248G1519G405This was totally spontaneous, entirely their own idea, and caught us completely off guard. What explains it was that they had first given themselves unreservedly to God and to us. The other giving simply flowed out of the purposes of God working in their lives.G2532G3756G2531G1679G235G4412G1325G1438G2962G2532G2254G1223G2307G23166That's what prompted us to ask Titus to bring the relief offering to your attention, so that what was so well begun could be finished up.G1519G2248G3870G5103G2443G2531G4278G3779G2005G2532G2005G1519G5209G5026G5485G25327You do so well in so many things—you trust God, you're articulate, you're insightful, you're passionate, you love us—now, do your best in this, too.G235G5618G4052G1722G3956G4102G2532G3056G2532G1108G2532G3956G4710G2532G5216G26G1537G1722G2254G2443G4052G1722G5026G5485G25328I'm not trying to order you around against your will. But by bringing in the Macedonians' enthusiasm as a stimulus to your love, I am hoping to bring the best out of you.G3004G3756G2596G2003G235G1223G4710G2087G2532G1381G1103G5212G269You are familiar with the generosity of our Master, Jesus Christ. Rich as he was, he gave it all away for us—in one stroke he became poor and we became rich.G1063G1097G5485G2257G2962G2424G5547G3754G5607G4145G1223G5209G1223G4433G2443G5210G1565G4432G414710So here's what I think: The best thing you can do right now is to finish what you started last year and not let those good intentions grow stale.G2532G1722G5129G1325G1106G1063G5124G4851G5213G3748G4278G3756G3440G4160G235G2532G2309G4070G57511Your heart's been in the right place all along. You've got what it takes to finish it up, so go to it.G3570G1161G2532G2005G4160G3704G2509G4288G2309G3779G2005G2532G1537G219212Once the commitment is clear, you do what you can, not what you can't. The heart regulates the hands.G1063G1487G4295G4288G2144G2526G1437G5100G2192G3756G2526G2192G375613This isn't so others can take it easy while you sweat it out. No, you're shoulder to shoulder with them all the way,G1063G3756G2443G243G425G1161G5213G234714your surplus matching their deficit, their surplus matching your deficit. In the end you come out even.G235G1537G2471G3568G1722G2540G5216G4051G1519G1565G5303G2443G1565G4051G2532G1096G1519G5216G5303G3704G1096G247115As it is written, Nothing left over to the one with the most, Nothing lacking to the one with the least.G2531G1125G3588G4183G4121G3756G4121G2532G3588G3641G1641G3756G164116I thank God for giving Titus the same devoted concern for you that I have.G1161G5485G2316G3588G1325G846G4710G1722G2588G5103G5228G521617He was most considerate of how we felt, but his eagerness to go to you and help out with this relief offering is his own idea.G3754G3303G1209G3874G1161G5225G4707G830G1831G4314G520918We're sending a companion along with him, someone very popular in the churches for his preaching of the Message.G1161G4842G3326G846G80G3739G1868G1722G2098G1223G3956G157719But there's far more to him than popularity. He's rock-solid trustworthy. The churches handpicked him to go with us as we travel about doing this work of sharing God's gifts to honor God as well as we can,G1161G3756G3440G235G5500G2532G5500G5259G1577G4898G2257G4862G5026G5485G3588G1247G5259G2257G4314G1391G846G2962G2532G5216G428820taking every precaution against scandal. We don't want anyone suspecting us of taking one penny of this money for ourselves.G4724G5124G3361G5100G3469G2248G1722G5026G100G3588G1247G5259G225721We're being as careful in our reputation with the public as in our reputation with God.G4306G2570G3756G3440G1799G2962G235G2532G1799G44422That's why we're sending another trusted friend along. He's proved his dependability many times over, and carries on as energetically as the day he started. He's heard much about you, and liked what he's heard—so much so that he can't wait to get there.G1161G4842G846G2257G80G3739G1381G4178G1381G5607G4705G1722G4183G1161G3570G4183G4707G4183G4006G3588G1519G520923I don't need to say anything further about Titus. We've been close associates in this work of serving you for a long time. The brothers who travel with him are delegates from churches, a real credit to Christ.G1535G5228G5103G1699G2844G2532G4904G1519G5209G1535G2257G80G652G1577G1391G554724Show them what you're made of, the love I've been talking up in the churches. Let them see it for themselves!G3767G1731G1519G846G2532G1519G4383G1577G1732G5216G26G2532G2257G2746G5228G5216G5228