For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves. 2 Corinthians 8:3
Some young unmarried men were discussing the qualities they would desire in a wife, when one of the lads suggested that he wanted a wife who would be willing to carry him out of a burning building if he should be injured and unable to walk. His friends laughed, and pointed out that, because of his excess weight, he would have a tough time finding any woman able to move him, let alone carry him out of a burning building. He answered, ‘I didn’t say she had to be able to do it, all I said was that she had to be willing.’ There is a lot to be said for willingness, in this day when people are reluctant to get involved in anything that doesn’t line their own pocket or that might be the least bit inconvenient for them.
Paul speaks of the folks in Corinth who were willing beyond their ability. Whatever they could do, they did. They stood ready to do more, if possible. And if impossible, they stood ready anyway. There were other things they could be doing. There were other places they could go. There were other things they could spend their money and time on. But they did whatever they could for the apostle Paul and his companions, and made themselves available to do anything else that was needed. They set a great example for us today.
First of all, these people saw a need. Do we see needs around us? Do we see Gospel preachers in need of prayer and financial support? Do we see fellow Christians with difficulties and struggles that could be eased with help from us. Do we see our Assembly in need of participants in all of its activities and exercises? Do we see folks around us in need of hearing the Gospel or even of receiving a Gospel tract or calendar? We don’t have to look far or long before we discover there is a great need all around us. Now, all we need to do is be willing to do something about it.
It is true that we need to take care of our own needs, our own families, our own responsibilities. It is also true that we can become so wrapped up in meeting these needs that we can fail to see the needs of others. Just as it cost the Corinthians something to be able to meet Paul’s needs, so it will cost us something to meet the needs of others. Some of the things that we think we need can look pretty selfish if we compare them to the needs of folks who are hurting, hungry, or hindered. If we can see those folks as God sees them, we will be more willing to help.
Maybe it’s time to lift our heads out of our own trough long enough to see what God can make us willing to do for and give to others. – Jim MacIntosh