2 Corinthians 8:1-8 shows two churches with needs and the church at Corinth is generously blessing another church. Verses 1-2 show a clash of ideas that don’t go together on the surface. Severe affliction, abundant joy, and extreme poverty all lead to a wealth of generosity. Generosity is a single-focused sincerity towards another person. Generosity has nothing to do with money, but everything about the condition of your heart. What gets into your heart finds its way into your hands.

Verse 7 is a challenge to the people (and us) that as we seek excellence, include grace (generosity) because it brings hope. This isn’t a command, but an expression of the gospel. Verse 8 reminds us that we were in poverty of sin and lostness, but Christ became poor for us so that we could have a rich inheritance as an heir of God.

In 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8, we see Paul lovingly is writing to the church in Thessalonica. He genuinely loves this church and longs to see them again. Verse 8 uses the phrase, “because we loved you so much”, which is the only time it is used in the New Testament. This idea is the same as parents longing for children who have passed. As we love others, we reflect God to others. God is generous. He gave us this world to live in, He gave us the gift of relationships, He gave us His Son, and He gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit. He is so generous, and when we are generous towards others, we reflect the gospel to them.

Generosity is sharing a portion of what you have. It doesn’t have to be a lot, but it needs to cost you something.