14 Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. 17 Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account.
The Apostle Paul never desired to be a burden on anyone. He sought neither praise nor help from men longing rather to encourage, comfort and urge others to live a life worthy of God. He writes in 2 Thessalonians:
6 We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else. As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, 7 but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. 8 We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. 9 Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. 1 Thess 2:6-9 (NIV)
Yet, giving is a grace that is to be evident in every believer’s life. Paul writes in our verses for today his commendation to the Philippian Church for their gracious and selfless gifts of giving. Scripture encourages our generosity both for our good and the good of others. It is to be a mark of a true believer in Jesus. Our Lord states in Luke:
38 “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38 (NIV)
“You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.” Amy Carmichael
God is also well pleased when His children are generous and rightly so as He is the Giver of every good and perfect gift:
17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. James 1:17-18 (NIV)
“Being generous with your money is a personal quality of someone that the grace of God has gripped. Why? Because the essence of the Gospel of grace is generosity. Jesus Christ gave up the Greatest Treasure in the world. He gave away his treasure when he left the most affluent gated community in the universe, heaven and all its glory, became poor, so that we might become rich. He gave up Ultimate wealth—Himself, for you. ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’, he said and lived. He also said you cannot serve God and money, it’s impossible. You have to choose. Only by the power of the Gospel of grace can you begin to be generous”. Tom Wood
Indeed, God so loved the world that He gave. The very familiar John 3:16 readily comes to mind:
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NIV)
Believers are never more like our Maker and our Savior than when we are giving. Giving is not only about money but it is also about our time and our abilities, even our very selves. It is living a life worthy of God and God is pleased by it. Caring and giving are to reflect in the life of those who love the Lord Jesus.
“To sacrifice something is to make it holy by giving it away for love.” Frederick Buechner
“Jesus is the great teacher of lowliness of heart. Witness the Master taking a towel and washing His disciples' feet! Isn't it true to say that on earth He was always stripping off first one robe of honor and then another until, naked, He was fastened to the cross and emptied Himself, pouring out His lifeblood, giving it up for all of us, until they laid Him penniless in a borrowed grave?” C. H. Spurgeon
16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Heb 13:16 (NIV)