Monday morning at the house I got the opportunity to sing Matins with the youngsters. For the Bible reading, the historic lectionary suggested 2 Cor. 8:1-24. After a quick scan I thought verse 9 would be good for discussing with a four-year-old:

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

My older daughter of course “knew” what rich was: “I want a million dollars in my piggy bank!” I said that was a good goal and with hard work and a lot of saving, that could get done.

Then I noted, was Jesus rich with money? He had to borrow money to show Caeser’s face on a coin. He had no place to lay his head. So we really weren’t talking about money here. Jesus was rich in eternal life, where we had none. The Son of God had to empty himself of his power, that we who believe may receive the right to be children of God. We would become rich, living eternally in the new world where there are no more dirty diapers and where our younger daughter would be able to communicate perfectly with us. Because Jesus who had eternal life, died, we who die, live. God loves us that much. I think she got it; she’s quite smart.

As I look at the passage again for this blog entry, check out verses 13 and 14:

For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness.

I think this says something counter to some “social gospels” some churches put forth. We hear about people who max out their credit cards to give to their favorite televangelist. We are called upon to give, but if the giving burdens us, perhaps it is time to hold off. Since we do believe that God ultimately provides for us, are we rejecting that gift if we “give ’till it hurts”?