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In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.
2 Corinthians 8:2 NIV

On a weekend trip to St Louis with some of my children and my mother, we had to make an emergency bathroom stop in a tiny town near the highway. Literally, a one-bathroom town. My kids were shell-shocked, I think. Looking around them, they wondered aloud if they even had internet here! My children definitely can’t fathom “extreme poverty”. I now threaten to move our family to this town whenever they act entitled to certain benefits or abusing the privileges they do have. It would be cruel and most harsh, according to the kids!

That small town came to mind when I recently saw this verse in 2 Corinthians. The words that jumped out at me were very severe trial, extreme poverty, overflowing joy, and rich generosity. Here is the Apostle Paul bragging on the behavior of the Macedonians.

I know about trials. How about you? I’ve had a few in my life. Not just the small ones, like my manicurist retired. No, real trials. Loss of income, loss of security, loss of spouse, loss of identity, loss of love. What “welled up” in me during those times? Maybe I shouldn’t make that PAST tense – what WELLS up in me daily?

But it is curious how Paul commended this church. They were a model to the RICH Corinthians. They didn’t just have joy, they were OVERFLOWING with joy! I stopped reading and found myself looking inward. During my most difficult trial, was my life overflowing with joy? When the Macedonians were in much worse difficulties than I can even imagine, their joy was contagious! Is that as convicting to you as it is to me?

Besides joy, these Macedonians were GENEROUS. How could Paul use such opposites in his sentence? Wealth and poverty? Do you look at your checkbook, like I do, and decide there isn’t much left for anything generous? I have to continually remind myself to give first to God’s work (for me, it is my local church and its missionaries) and then make the rest work.

This verse really encourages me to dig deep to define “generous”. Don’t stop at money—explore other ways and pray for creativity. What are some ways to be generous that don’t include financial ways? Take a moment to stop reading here and just meditate on this verse. What might God be saying to you?

Pray for creativity in your generosity.

I believe God is wanting all of us to be more like the Macedonians– to be the example of overflowing joy and generosity.

Even in difficulty, we can have joy.

Father God, show me where I can be more generous. I want the joy of my salvation to be evident to everyone I come in contact with today. I am reminded that the joy of the Lord is my strength, not so many other things I think will bring joy. Amen