A Willing Mind 2 Corinthians 8:12

Paul the apostle spoke to the church members in Corinth about giving and proclaimed, “now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will,so there may be a performance also out of that which you have the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might be rich”, and in chapter eight and verse twelve of Second Corinthians, Paul shares with the Corinthian church members about, “a willing mind” where we read:

For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man has, and not according to that he has not.

The verse begins, “For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man has, ...” Paul began with the word, “for” which means “even as, indeed, no doubt, seeing then, verily and therefore” “if there be first” which means “whether there exists set before, present and at hand” “a willing mind” or “zeal, spirit, eagerness and inclination”, “it is accepted” which refers to “the willing mind is well received, approved and favorable” “according to” which means “in so far as and inasmuch as” “that a man has” which refers to “a certain one or person holds, owns and possesses”. Paul acknowledged if a person was “willing” to give toward the ministry, whatever they “held or possessed” would be sufficient.

The verse continues, “... and not according to that he has not.” Paul added the words, “and not according to” which means “and not in so far as and inasmuch as” “to that” which means “” “he has not” or “the certain one or person does not hold, own or possess”. Paul did not measure a person's giving by what they did not “hold or possess”.

When we think through these words of Paul, we see how the measure of a person's giving was not according to what they did or did not own. If they had a “willingness” to give, no matter the amount, they would be a blessing. We might think of the widow's two mites, “And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in there two mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow has cast in more than they all: For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury has cast in all the living that she had.” (Luke 21:1-4). When we consider that she gave according to what she owned, we should be challenged as well. Jesus Christ desires for His children to be givers toward His gospel, and when they do, they should do so according to the supply which God has bestowed upon them.

Next time Paul shares how he, “mean not that other men be eased, and you burdened” to the church members, so read ahead, and we shall join together then,

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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