Dec. 13

Read 2 Corinthians 8

So here's what I think: The best thing you can do right now is to finish what you started last year and not let those good intentions grow stale. Your heart's been in the right place all along. You've got what it takes to finish it up, so go to it. Once the commitment is clear, you do what you can, not what you can't. The heart regulates the hands. This isn't so others can take it easy while you sweat it out. No, you're shoulder to shoulder with them all the way, your surplus matching their deficit, their surplus matching your deficit. In the end you come out even. As it is written, 

   Nothing left over to the one with the most, 
   Nothing lacking to the one with the least. (The Message)

When we make a commitment other people begin to count on us following through. Paul is encouraging the people of Corinth to follow through with their commitment to help the poor in Jerusalem. He has reminded them of the grace that they have received and the ways that others have given generously and now he says that it is their turn to finish what they have started.
One of the reasons people make for not committing to things such as giving a certain amount to a church or non-profit is the fear of not being able to see it through. They feel like if things change then they should be able to change their giving as well. While I believe that in principle this is true and I don't personally know any leader in a church or non-profit who would expect people to give while putting their or their families health and security at risk. The problem that Paul was addressing and I think is still true is that we often put our giving behind our own wants. So if we find a car that costs a little bit more than we had planned but we really want it we justify lowering our giving so that we can cover our "need". The reason why commitments in giving and any other area of faith is so important is that without the commitment our chance of following through drops significantly. Over and over again people have shown that those who write down their goals are more likely to achieve them and those who write down their goals and share them with others are the most likely to achieve what they desire.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• Do you think the people of Corinth felt guilt when Paul reminded them of what they had committed to do? What do you think was their response?
• How do you go about trying to make sure you achieve your goals?
• What might Paul challenge you to complete that you have wanted to do but not yet finished?
• Who do you need to share your goals for the coming year with so that you are most likely to meet them?