Today our guest blogger is Pastor Chris Moix. Let's take some time to get to a good "Why?" question with Pastor Chris.
Let’s be honest…being generous is one of the hardest things to do. If one is to answer the question, "Why should I be generous?"…one must also ask, “Why do anything that causes me pain?”
Why open my table to friends and neighbors? Why get up on MY Sunday? Why give my time to volunteer in any capacity? Why should I be an agent of change? Why do I have to disciple others? Why, why, why?
The answer to this, like any answer, is found in the Word of God. You will find what you are looking for in the 5th chapter of 2 Corinthians.
"For we know that if our earthly house, the tent we live in, is dismantled, we have a building from God, a house not built by human hands, that is eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this earthly house we groan, because we desire to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed, after we have put on our heavenly house, we will not be found naked. 4 For we groan while we are in this tent, since we are weighed down, because we do not want to be unclothed, but clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now the one who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave us the Spirit as a down payment. 6 Therefore we are always full of courage, and we know that as long as we are alive here on earth we are absent from the Lord— 7 for we live by faith, not by sight. 8 Thus we are full of courage and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So then whether we are alive or away, we make it our ambition to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be paid back according to what he has done while in the body, whether good or evil. 11 Therefore, because we know the fear of the Lord, we try to persuade people, but we are well known to God, and I hope we are well known to your consciences too. 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to be proud of us, so that you may be able to answer those who take pride in outward appearance and not in what is in the heart. 13 For if we are out of our minds, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ controls us, since we have concluded this, that Christ died for all; therefore all have died. 15 And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised."
This chapter outlines why we do anything in this life. Without an understanding of this chapter you can “white knuckle” yourself in to doing really nice things but, like every other thing in your life, it will end, because…well, that’s just kind of who we are.
I would encourage you to read it, and then read it again until you get a picture of what Paul is trying to say. In my opinion, the first 13 verses are convincing enough and the 14th one seals the deal. Prior to this framework in my life, I was the guy who “white knuckled” it because I felt like I had to. After getting this framework in my life, well, let’s just say I look a lot more like Christ in both my freedom and my generosity.
Have a blessed day,
Pastor Chris