Growth

Re:Verse passage – 2 Corinthians 8:1–9, 2 Corinthians 9:6–11 (day four)

When we think about our spiritual growth, certain things come to mind: growing in our faith and trust in God, growing in our knowledge of Scripture and doctrine, developing our spiritual gifts, growing in love for our neighbors and spending more time serving others. All of these are great indicators of spiritual growth, which Paul acknowledges are happening among the Corinthians. He adds another indicator of spiritual growth to this list, though: generosity in finances.

When we think about spiritual growth, finances aren’t usually the first thing to come to mind, but Paul reminds us that the way we steward our money and the way we give to others is very much a reflection of our spiritual life. It’s easy to think of our finances as a separate category, but our life is one integrated whole, of which Jesus demands the entirety. Just as we are to grow in prayer, service, and wisdom, we are to grow in generosity. When we truly understand Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, the ultimate form of generosity, then we will reflect that generosity in every part of our lives, just as the Macedonian Christians model for us here.

We would never say “alright, I now have exactly enough faith,” or “I have enough knowledge of Scripture, I don’t need anymore.” We want to grow in those things more and more for the rest of our lives. In the same way, may we grow in generosity, allowing the Lord to show us more and more ways to give and steward our money according to his purposes.