Day 237: The Giving Habit

25 Aug, 2019

The Daily Word: Sunday, August 25th, 2019
Job 16:1-19:29
1 Corinthians 16:1-24
Psalm 40:1-10
Proverbs 22:1
For full text click here.

Commentary from Pastor Michael White:
On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. – 1 Cor 16:2

Paul expected the church at Corinth to give. He made no apologies for that. “Now concerning the collection for the saints [at Jerusalem], as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must also do” (v 1). The church leaders at Jerusalem had poured out their lives in service to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and Paul thought it proper to honor “spiritual things” with “material things:”

If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things? – 1 Cor 9:11

But Paul didn’t want the church’s giving to always be centered around a special offering or a specific need; he wanted it to be part of their weekly rhythm. He was asking the early church to get in the habit of giving.

When we get in the habit of giving, we learn to cling loosely to the things of this world. We condition ourselves to value “true riches” more than “unrighteous mammon” (Lk 16:11). The result will be greater trust: God will know He can trust you with more (both spiritually and materially speaking), because you have proved to be a good steward over what you already have.

The early church made a habit of giving. Have you?

Prayer:

Father, thank You for always providing for me. Thank You for filling me up to the point of overflow, so I can pour out into others. I am so grateful, in Jesus’ name!

Archives
See commentary from this day in 2014.
See commentary from this day in 2015.
See commentary from this day in 2016.
See commentary from this day in 2017.
See commentary from this day in 2018.

© Michael D. White, 2019. All rights reserved.