The Example of Christ

2 Corinthians 8:9 KJV

For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

Paul sets before us the example of Jesus Christ as our model for giving. And in so doing he exposes how far we fall short. 

That Jesus was rich before He came to earth is without question. 

• He is God
• He is Creator of heaven and earth
• He reigns over the universe and upholds all things by the word of His power

Jesus Christ thought it not robbery to make Himself equal with God but He gave up his wealth to be born into the poorest of families.

• He lost, even more, when Joseph (we presume) died
• During His ministry, He had nowhere to lay His head
• He slept in a borrowed room in a borrowed bed and did so from town to town.

Though He could order the fishermen's nets to be full and have Peter collect money from the mouth of a fish, He never had any to speak of. His greatest poverty happened when His country turned against Him and demanded His crucifixion. One of His closest companions betrayed Him for a few pieces of coin and His disciples fled away when He was captured. On the cross, He felt so alone that He cried out, "My God, My God, why hast though forsaken me?"

He became poor that we, through His poverty, might be rich. 

Now one might argue that Christ is not a fair example. He, after all, got it all back when He got to heaven. In a manner, He never gave up anything. 

Exactly the point.

If we gave so much of what we have away that we became impoverished for the rest of our lives. If we gave so much away for the good of others that we, in the eyes of the world, had squandered it all gone, we would have lost nothing. The things of this world are mere trinkets in comparison to heaven. They mean nothing more than a few moments of comfort while we bide our time on earth.

True riches are all heavenly ones.

• Do we believe that?
• Does our giving demonstrate that?
• Does our lifestyle prove that?