II Corinthians 8 Commentary ~ Grace turns selfish people into generous people. Humans are not naturally generous. It is more natural for us to grab than to give. We are acquisitive, not donative. When a newborn gets hungry, she cries like someone is torturing her. She does not cry when her mother gets hungry. When we are born, we instinctively think about ourselves before others. Humankind is the only one in God’s creation who has a problem with giving.
- The sun gives light and heat.
- The moon gives radiance.
- The stars give splendor.
- The clouds give rain.
- The rain gives cleansing.
- The air gives oxygen.
- The mountains give security.
- The flowers give fragrance.
- The grass gives beauty.
- The trees give fruit.
- The animals give meat.
- The earth gives minerals.
- The ground gives crops.
- The crop gives food.
- The water gives refreshment.
Man gives nothing. Our sinful nature follows us to church. We love to hear that God will bless us. We don’t want to hear about what to do with those blessings. But God’s transforming grace changes our hearts to make us generous people.