Thursday 12 March 2026
Each of you must give as you have made up your mind. (v. 7)
Background
I hate making decisions, so I try to make one decision last indefinitely. Years ago I decided that I would spend 7-8am writing. It saves me from the panic of seeing an approaching deadline and not being ready for it.
Years ago I decided I would go to church every Sunday morning. I no longer need to look at the weather, or the Circuit Plan to see who is preaching. My decision to go was made up years ago. I also decided what I could afford to give to the church, which I review regularly. I filled in a direct debit form and I no longer spend my Sunday mornings seeing if I can find a £5 note or will it have to be £10 this week. (The figures are for illustrative purposes only!)
When they heard about the plight of the Christians in Jerusalem, each member of the Corinthian church had eagerly promised to give what they could afford to help them. They had each made their individual decision. There was no need for Paul now to underline the poverty of the Jerusalem Christians. All that had to be done was for Titus and his two friends to come to Corinth, collect the money and take it to Jerusalem.
Paul goes on to tell the Corinthians that their generosity to the Christians in Jerusalem was not merely an altruistic exercise. There was a benefit to the Christians in Corinth also. It gave them the opportunity to thank God for providing them "with every blessing in abundance" (v. 8), a great example remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, who said "It is more blessed to give than to receive."
To Ponder:
- How often should we review our giving to church and other charities?
- Is ‘giving to church’ the same as ‘giving to God’, or should we differentiate between the two?
Prayer
Gracious God, give wisdom to the churches and charities we support. Help them to use our donations wisely. Amen.
Bible notes author: Alan Sharp
Alan Sharp lives in St Albans where he is a member of both his local Methodist church and his parish church. He has been a local preacher and a church organist and choirmaster for over 60 years. He writes a monthly article on hymn tunes for The Methodist Recorder.