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In 2 Corinthians 8 we here the Apostle Paul holding up a group of Christians as a fantastic example for others to follow. As we look at how the Macedonian Christians are described in verses 1 to 5 we discover that they have done what every Christian must do in response to God when He reveals truth to us. We reflect that the process of life transformation through revealed truth begins in the mind (understanding), which impacts the heart (emotion) leading to a decision of the will which must be followed through (behaviour). That's exactly what happened for the Macedonians in how they responded to the material needs of their brothers and sisters in Christ who were in Judea. They weren't guided or controlled by their circumstances but were so deeply impacted by what they had received in Christ that they passionately longed to give themselves wholly to Him and to doing His will.
As we begin to think about our commitment to resource the work of Global Mission, that's a great starting point for us! May our giving exhibit the same spirit of generosity that the Macedonians saw in Jesus and reflected in their own lives.
