pramsay posted on April 18, 2006 16:11 1017 views

Things couldn’t get much worse for the Christians in Macedonia. Believers were suffering left, right and center. And it was more than minor inconveniences, little disappointments, let-downs, and mild reproach for being a Christian. Family members were being locked up by the authorities; their homes were being raided and their possessions confiscated; life’s earnings were disappearing over night; fired from their jobs; family keepsakes and heirlooms were being stolen; mothers would watch as their teenage sons were beaten and brutalized for being a christian; kidnappings; hostage-taking; psychological abuse as they were taunted and rejected for belonging to ‘Jesus’. Maybe I have used my imagination a little in describing the situation but the reality would be much worse than anything I could dream up.

Paul told the Corinthians that the Macedonian Christians were in “an ordeal of severe tribulation” and he referred to “their depth of poverty.”

“Alphonsus dear, stop worrying about others. Let’s focus on ourselves. We’re the ones going through the rough time. We’ve got enough on our plates just now – far more than we can cope with or alot more than we deserve.”

Silence.

“But Rubietta, those dear believers in Jerusalem are suffering too and some are starving from the famine. I have been begging Paul to allow us to give despite our own poverty. Let’s try to give whatever we can give to help them in their need.”

A long pause.

“Alphie dear, I am sorry. That was my wicked flesh thinking so selfishly. You’re right on – you usually are. I have a piece of woolen cloth we can give and an infant blanket. Let’s get the little package ready right away so it can be carried to Jerusalem with all the other things the Christians are sending.”

Listen to the couple whistle and sing first century hymns as they scrape together a few things to give to others!

Paul seemed to be searching for adjectives and adverbs to describe the outflow of hearts that had been totally given to the Lord:

“We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints– and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.”
2 Cor. 8:1-5 ESV

How did they do it??!! Imagine, begging to give. That’s the opposite of reluctantly giving after someone begs us to give. What goes on inside a Christian’s head when they think like Alphonsus and Rubietta – even though they themselves are passing through severe trials? Paul gave us their secret:

They “first gave their own selves to the Lord…
2Corinthians 8:5 KJV

Phenomenal things will happen when we first give our own selves to the Lord. Actions and behaviours that are a surprise to standard expectations. Behaviour that transcends normal behaviours. Lifestyles that supersede the common lifestyles of those who live for themselves. Unnatural giving. Phenomenal charity.

The supreme example of giving? It’s in the same chapter – 2Cor. 8:9:

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that,
though he was rich,
yet for your sakes he became poor,
that ye through his poverty might be rich.

Note: Alphie and Rubietta’s names aren’t mentioned in the Scriptures. 🙂

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