Giving for Equality

2 Corinthians 8:8-15 says: "I am not commanding you, but i want to test the sincerity of your love b y comparing it with the earnestness of other.  For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.  And here is my judgment about what is best for you in this matter.  Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so.  now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it,  according to your means.  For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.  our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality.  At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need.  The goal is equality as it is written: "The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little."

Christ has laid this on my heart, as we have failed miserably in our calling to give.  One thing God has really challenged me with is how and to whom we give.  I have been struggling with giving to the church.  We are to give to the church, however when we walk into church on Sunday morning to a coffee bar full of breakfast items and flat screen TVs, and a worship room full of band equipment, we are concerned with where the money God is commanding we give is going.  If we look outside our culture in other countries where a building for worship is nothing more than gathering under a tree or a pavilion like structure that offers little protection from the elements.  If you re-read verse 13 it says we should be giving for equality not that either side be suffering but that both sides are equal.  The other side of giving that God is challenging me with is this: Christianity is relational.. it's about a relationship with Christ,  It's about a relationship with the church, but when we give to the church we lose that relational aspect with those whom our offerings are meant to help.  I feel that if we are giving money to fill a need, but not following up with "teaching everything we know of the holy spirit," we are missing half of the puzzle and those that we give to are not any better off than when we started...keeping in mind that Christ is THE ONE who will change their heart, we ARE to make disciples, and walk relationally with the people God calls us to give to.  Finally, Christmas is over now and we all purchased gifts to give to each other.  This in and of itself is not a bad thing, i think the problem is when we associate the gift giving takes away from the Celebration of life that is Christ.  We live in a society that is driven by commercialism, sales tactics, and an internal desire to need things that we see on TV (ha --TV included) .  If we are showering each other with gifts doesn't that send the message that we are the important ones on that particular day?  It takes away from the true spirit...The Holy Spirit.  Again giving gifts is not a bad thing, but overshadowing the Greatest Gift of All with this stuff...is.  Besides, who defines what our holidays should look like...society...our parents?  I believe that we have a pre-conceived notion of what the "Holidays" are suppose to be, but I think that the "Holidays" need to be about the Spirit of Christ.  Without the Spirit of Christ dwelling within us... we are dead spiritually, and this life is only temporary.  So is it OK to give?  Definitely, but let's ensure it is Christ's working within us that is doing the Giving.