2 Corinthians 8:7-15, New International Reader's Version

⁷You do well in everything else. You do well in faith and in speaking. You do well in knowledge and in complete commitment. And you do well in the love we have helped to start in you. So make sure that you also do well in the grace of giving to others.

⁸I am not commanding you to do it. But I want to test you. I want to find out if you really love God. I want to compare your love with that of others. ⁹You know the grace shown by our Lord Jesus Christ. Even though he was rich, he became poor to help you. Because he became poor, you can become rich.

¹⁰Here is my opinion about what is best for you in that matter. Last year you were the first to give. You were also the first to want to give. ¹¹So finish the work. Then your desire to do it will be matched by your finishing it. Give on the basis of what you have. ¹²Do you really want to give? Then the gift is measured by what someone has. It is not measured by what they don’t have.

¹³We don’t want others to have it easy at your expense. We want things to be equal. ¹⁴Right now you have plenty in order to take care of what they need. Then they will have plenty to take care of what you need. The goal is to even things out. ¹⁵It is written, “The one who gathered a lot didn’t have too much. And the one who gathered a little had enough.” (Exodus 16:18)

Object:

Create a “balance beam” on the floor. Be creative; place a prepared piece of paper the same size of a beam on the floor next to your feet. You could even place masking tape, which is easily removed, on the floor ahead of time.

Message:

Opening presents is great fun, isn’t it? Remember, last week we talked about the most awesome gift of all: God’s gift of grace in our life. Getting gifts is certainly fun. Have any of you spent a day this summer celebrating a birthday with a friend? Would one of you tell us about a great gift that you received? Were you surprised when you opened it? (Allow children to answer.) I love to be surprised when I open a gift. It is fun to pull off the ribbons or bows and rip open the paper. And it is fun to enjoy the gift once it has been opened.

But giving presents to other people is also great fun. I love what Paul says in verse 14, “We want things to be equal.” In other words, Paul is saying that there should be a perfect balance between giving and receiving in a person’s life. If you take more than you give to others, or you don’t give enough of what you have, then you will become off balance. And when you are off balance, you fall.

Last week, we talked about the Summer Olympics and track and field runners. Another popular Olympic event is gymnastics. Have any of you ever participated in gymnastics? (Allow children to answer.) What is your favorite gymnastic event? (Allow children to answer.) Today’s passage reminds me of one of the gymnastics events that involves balance and not falling. Can you guess? (Allow children to respond.) That’s right, the balance beam. I love to watch the gymnasts stand, jump, and even flip on the balance beam. That must be so difficult to keep from falling. (too far to the front? (Wave your arms as if you are losing your balance.) If my body isn’t in a balanced position on the beam, I will fall. Too much to the left means not enough to the right. Too much forward means not enough behind me.

In Paul’s day, the Christians living in Jerusalem were poor and needed help. Paul worked hard to collect money for them from Christians living in other places. In this passage from 2 Corinthians, Paul talks about how the Christians living in a place called Macedonia gave very generously. They gave, not because they had to but because they wanted to. They certainly were not rich. But they gave as much as they could. Then they gave even more. They continued to find the right balance of giving what they had. Then, as Paul told them, the goal is to be equal. When they did that, they had learned the joy of helping other people.

What about you? Do you have equal parts give and take? Are you generous with others? Do you enjoy giving as much as receiving? Do you enjoy watching someone open the birthday gift you gave as much as you enjoy opening a gift for you? Have you discovered the joy of helping others? This week, try to remain balanced in life, for when you do, you will discover the joy in life – both yours and others.

Prayer:

Gracious God, you have given me so much. Thank you for my many blessings. Help me to find balance in life. Fill me with love for others and teach me the joy of sharing whatever I have with those who need help. Amen.