Overflowing generosity – a 2 Corinthians 8 Story
Sarah was a young woman who had recently moved to the city to start her new job. She was excited to be working at a large company with many opportunities for growth. However, it was also a challenging time for her financially. She was barely making ends meet with her salary and rent, and she had little left over for food and other essentials.
One day, Sarah was at the office when she received a call from a local charity. They were seeking donations for their food bank, which was running low on supplies. Sarah felt a tug at her heartstrings and knew that she wanted to do something to help. She decided to donate some of her own groceries to the food bank, even though it meant that she would have to cut back on her own meals that week. She felt a sense of satisfaction knowing that she had helped others in need.
Inspired by Sarah’s act of generosity, some of her colleagues at work also decided to donate to the food bank. They organized a fundraiser and collected food and supplies from everyone in the office. Sarah was thrilled to see how her small act of kindness had sparked a wave of generosity among her colleagues.
As the food bank received more and more donations, Sarah started to feel overwhelmed by the amount of support that was pouring in. She had originally only intended to donate a few items from her own pantry, but now the food bank was overflowing with food and supplies. She couldn’t believe how her small act of kindness had spurred on such a large outpouring of generosity from everyone around her.
In 2 Corinthians chapter 8, the apostle Paul writes about the generous giving of the Corinthian church. He commends them for their willingness to give even in the midst of their own poverty. He writes, "For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints" (2 Corinthians 8:3-4).
In the same way, Sarah’s act of generosity sparked a chain reaction of giving that went beyond what anyone could have imagined. She may have only been able to give a few items from her own pantry, but her willingness to help others inspired her colleagues to do the same. Together, they were able to make a significant impact on the lives of those in need, all because of one small act of kindness.
In the end, Sarah learned that even when she felt like she had very little to give, her small contribution could spark a wave of generosity that overflowed beyond what she could have imagined. In the words of Paul, "For if the readiness is present, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have" (2 Corinthians 8:12).