RR Some Favorite Verses (2) Generosity and Enabling Favor By David Harwood
Shabbat Shalom,
God’s favor towards us can meet us in every situation. This meditation focuses on the grace of giving.
The believing community in Jerusalem was suffering. Knowing this, Macedonian believers received enabling favor to give of their resources to help them. They received grace to give.
Now we make known to you, brothers and sisters, the grace (charis/enabling favor) God has given to Messiah’s communities in Macedonia— that in much testing by affliction, the abundance of their joy and their extreme poverty overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.
For I testify that according to their ability, and even beyond their ability, they gave of their own free will— begging us with much urging for the favor (charis) of sharing in the relief of the kedoshim. (2 Corinthians 8:1–4)
These Greek givers were poor. The text calls it “deep (bathos) poverty.” Well, out of those depths came a geyser of generosity.
I’ve found that many who are wealthy need to heed the admonition found in 1 Timothy 6.
Direct those who are rich in this present age not to be proud or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God—who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. Direct them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous, sharing, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the future, so they might take hold of the true life. (1 Timothy 6:17–19)
There can be a lot of anxiety amongst those who fail to see God as their provider. They tend to hold on to what they have – sometimes, very tightly. The well-to-do may tend to only see what can be seen in this life. It takes faith to believe that treasures can be laid up in heaven and then reorient oneself to that type of investment.
Yeshua said,
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in or steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Matthew 6:20–21)
To act upon the Messiah’s word takes faith empowered by enabling favor (charis/grace). The Macedonians had received the grace of giving.
Paul quoted one of Yeshua’s sayings that is not recorded in the Gospels.
... remembering the words of the Lord Yeshua, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” (Acts 20:35b)
Who acts upon these things? Those who receive God’s enabling favor.
God is able to make all manner of enabling favor overflow to believers so the favored disciple may have the wherewithal to overflow in the favor (charis) of sharing
And God is able to make all grace (charis/favor) overflow to you, so that by always having enough of everything, you may overflow in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)
He’s the God of every manifestation of favor. There is enabling favor to be generous to those in need. It’s funny, but this grace is often resisted. Paul wrote:
Since we are co-laboring, we also urge you not to receive God’s grace (charis/enabling favor) in vain. (2 Corinthians 6:1)
Reconsider.
God’s charis is especially manifest to those who please Him, those who find favor in His eyes. Please review these verses.
... whoever sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. Let each one give as he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion—for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace (charis/favor) overflow to you, so that by always having enough of everything, you may overflow in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:6b–8)
“Cheerful” translates hilaros, from where we get the word hilarity. Glad giving sparks God’s delight. He loves the cheerful giver and therefore makes every nuance of favor (“all charis/grace”) overflow to the one who sows bountifully.
Although the context is favor in finances, the reality is that He is the God of every manifestation of favor. He is the God of all grace (1 Peter 5:10). He especially favors you. He will enable you to joyfully give to others.
Embrace this grace.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Sat7-Mar-2026 18th of Adar, 5786 Parashat Ki Tisa Shabbat Parah
Ex 34:10-35Nu 19Ez 36:16-38Heb 9:11-15
God’s favor towards us can meet us in every situation. This meditation focuses on the grace of giving.
The believing community in Jerusalem was suffering. Knowing this, Macedonian believers received enabling favor to give of their resources to help them. They received grace to give.
Now we make known to you, brothers and sisters, the grace (charis/enabling favor) God has given to Messiah’s communities in Macedonia— that in much testing by affliction, the abundance of their joy and their extreme poverty overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.
For I testify that according to their ability, and even beyond their ability, they gave of their own free will— begging us with much urging for the favor (charis) of sharing in the relief of the kedoshim. (2 Corinthians 8:1–4)
These Greek givers were poor. The text calls it “deep (bathos) poverty.” Well, out of those depths came a geyser of generosity.
I’ve found that many who are wealthy need to heed the admonition found in 1 Timothy 6.
Direct those who are rich in this present age not to be proud or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but rather on God—who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. Direct them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous, sharing, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the future, so they might take hold of the true life. (1 Timothy 6:17–19)
There can be a lot of anxiety amongst those who fail to see God as their provider. They tend to hold on to what they have – sometimes, very tightly. The well-to-do may tend to only see what can be seen in this life. It takes faith to believe that treasures can be laid up in heaven and then reorient oneself to that type of investment.
Yeshua said,
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in or steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Matthew 6:20–21)
To act upon the Messiah’s word takes faith empowered by enabling favor (charis/grace). The Macedonians had received the grace of giving.
Paul quoted one of Yeshua’s sayings that is not recorded in the Gospels.
... remembering the words of the Lord Yeshua, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” (Acts 20:35b)
Who acts upon these things? Those who receive God’s enabling favor.
God is able to make all manner of enabling favor overflow to believers so the favored disciple may have the wherewithal to overflow in the favor (charis) of sharing
And God is able to make all grace (charis/favor) overflow to you, so that by always having enough of everything, you may overflow in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)
He’s the God of every manifestation of favor. There is enabling favor to be generous to those in need. It’s funny, but this grace is often resisted. Paul wrote:
Since we are co-laboring, we also urge you not to receive God’s grace (charis/enabling favor) in vain. (2 Corinthians 6:1)
Reconsider.
God’s charis is especially manifest to those who please Him, those who find favor in His eyes. Please review these verses.
... whoever sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. Let each one give as he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion—for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace (charis/favor) overflow to you, so that by always having enough of everything, you may overflow in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:6b–8)
“Cheerful” translates hilaros, from where we get the word hilarity. Glad giving sparks God’s delight. He loves the cheerful giver and therefore makes every nuance of favor (“all charis/grace”) overflow to the one who sows bountifully.
Although the context is favor in finances, the reality is that He is the God of every manifestation of favor. He is the God of all grace (1 Peter 5:10). He especially favors you. He will enable you to joyfully give to others.
Embrace this grace.
Daily Bread, reading plan by Lars Enarson (https://www.thewatchman.org/)
Sat7-Mar-2026 18th of Adar, 5786 Parashat Ki Tisa Shabbat Parah
Ex 34:10-35Nu 19Ez 36:16-38Heb 9:11-15
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