"… through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing …" (2 Cor. 9:13).
As Paul so often does in his letters, once he has exhorted and instructed the brethren, he breaks forth in praise to God, directing the churches to consider the source of their blessings, of their service, and the end for which they live. The effects of the generosity of the Corinthian church were not limited to the relief of the Christians in Jerusalem, but they included something more—promoting gratitude to God among all the churches. This gratitude would then enable others to glorify God, to draw closer to one another in Christian communion, and to promote prayer for one another.
Whenever we serve others, either through some ministerial work or through giving, as was the case in this instance, we promote the glory of God. This is done by giving Christians the occasion to thank God for His blessing. Once again, we find the Scriptures telling us that the source of all things is God Himself. While we give thanks to men for their generosity, we ultimately give thanks to God who enabled those men to give. We would have nothing to offer others unless God gave us the resources and the desire to care for their needs. Therefore, we should never take credit for our actions, we should never expect to be exalted because we have acted dutifully, but we should give the glory and praise to God.
Our generosity also incites others to remember us in their prayers. When we give to and serve other Christians, they are reminded to lift us up in prayer to God. They are motivated to give thanks to the Lord for us. This promotes love among the body, which is so necessary in a world-wide church that varies from place to place. Love was certainly promoted in Paul’s day among the Gentile churches of Macedonia and the Jewish believers in Jerusalem. Caring for one another promotes love even among the most disparate peoples, and this brings glory to Christ in whom we are unified.
This brings us to Paul’s final declaration. More than any other gift for which God can be praised, the gift of His Son, “His indescribable gift,” deserves our greatest praise. More than riches, more than honor, more than plenty, the gift of His Son incites gratitude in our hearts, for in Him we have forgiveness of sins and eternal life. “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”
Make a list of family, friends, and fellow believers who have been generous to you this year. Praise God for providing them with the means to care for you and thank Him for His blessings through them. Then pray for each of them, that God will shower upon them all the blessings that He has provided in His Son, Jesus Christ.
