“For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God” (2 Corinthians 8:3-5).
In light of their financial constraints, the offering taken up by the Christian community in Macedonia may not have amounted to much. But in proportion to their resources, they gave beyond any reasonable expectation. In fact, one Biblical paraphrase highlights the willing enthusiasm of these Macedonian Christians by saying, “They begged us to take the money so they could share in the joy of helping the Christians in Jerusalem” (TLB).
So the Macedonian Christians sought to help those in Jerusalem and Judea who were less well off. This represents the first of two important principles in regard to financial giving within these verses. It involves recognizing and responding to the needs of those who fall into difficult circumstances. This principle is reflected within the pages of the Old Testament as well…
“If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother. Rather be openhanded and freely lend him whatever he needs. Be careful not to harbor this wicked thought: ‘The seventh year, the year for canceling debts, is near,’ (1) so that you do not show ill will toward your needy brother and give him nothing. He may then appeal to the LORD against you, and you will be found guilty of sin.
Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to. There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy in your land” (Deuteronomy 15:7-11 NIV).
The churches of Macedonia set the right example by putting this concept in order to work to assist those who were less fortunate. But in a world where the needs are seemingly endless, how can we make the best decisions in regard to our limited resources? Well, the example of the Macedonian Christians offers another important principal that addresses this question and we’ll consider that principle next.
(1) An Old Testament-era Israelite could sell himself as a slave to pay a debt. However, that length of service was limited to a maximum of six years, a cycle that was renewed every seventh year. See Exodus 21:2