“For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you” (2 Corinthians 9:12-14).
The simple act of helping others may secure a benefit that extends far beyond those who are directly involved. Much like the ripple effect created by the act of casting a stone into a pool of water, the charitable actions of God’s people may produce an impact that extends beyond their origin.
The first and most obvious effect involves the person who benefits from such help. However, 2 Corinthians 9:12-14 identifies a secondary benefit as well. To borrow an agricultural analogy, the person who gives of his or her resources also produces a harvest of thanksgiving to God and prompts others to pray on his or her behalf.
We can illustrate this cause and effect relationship with a familiar environmental process: the hydrologic cycle, or the method by which water enters the earth’s atmosphere, returns to the earth in the form of precipitation, and rises to the atmosphere again through evaporation. One commentator explains this analogy with the following observation…
“It will be noted that this process is cyclical. Out of the riches of God’s grace He supplies the needs of the believer. The believer, in an expression of gratitude and liberality, shares of his abundance with others. They, in turn, direct their expressions of thanksgiving (“grace”) to God from whom the supply originated. Thus, the cycle is complete.” (1)
So the blessings that flow from a generous spirit helps provide others with an opportunity to honor God for His gracious provision. As we approach the end of this two-chapter discourse on the subject of financial giving, one source tells us how the Corinthian church responded to this counsel…
“The Corinthians did follow through and assemble their gift. It was only a few months after Paul penned 2 Corinthians that he wrote Romans. In that epistle, he said that the Christians of ‘Macedonia and Achaia’ (which includes Corinth) had made a contribution to the poor saints in Jerusalem (Rom. 15:26-27). Paul and his delegation then traveled back to Jerusalem, from Corinth, through Macedonia and Asia Minor (Acts 20:3— 21:19). The leaders of the Jerusalem church evidently received the gift gladly (Acts 21:17).” (2)
(1) Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 2358). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
(2) Dr. Thomas L. Constable, Notes on 2 Corinthians 2017 Edition [9:15] Copyright ® 2017 Thomas L. Constable. All Rights Reserved. http://www.planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/html/nt/2corinthians/2corinthians.htm