I do not say this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love against the earnestness of others. For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. And in this matter I am giving my advice: it is appropriate for you who began last year not only to do something but even to desire to do something— now finish doing it, so that your eagerness may be matched by completing it according to your means. For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has—not according to what one does not have. I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of a fair balance between your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may be for your need, in order that there may be a fair balance. As it is written, ‘The one who had much did not have too much, and the one who had little did not have too little.’ (2 Corinthians 8:8-15, NRSV)
We do not do things to earn our way to the good graces of God, it can not be done that way. We do not do good works to earn our way to heaven. We do good works because of the genuineness of the love we have for Christ. We are so moved by the gift He gave us, by giving His life so we may have life, we are moved to genuinely love others and give.
You see we are all capable of giving and doing the mission of God. We have to give out of what we have been given. Not out of what others do. We can not judge ourselves against someone else, or judge what another gives or does not give based upon our gift. God judges the heart of the follower and knows if you are giving as you should. And that is all that matters. So give out of what you got and don’t worry about anyone else.
Be moved genuinely by the love Christ has for you and show that love and mercy and grace to the world.
aSacredRebel 