“This is the meaning of true love, to give until it hurts,” said the Catholic Nun Mother Teresa at the 1994 National Prayer Breakfast.
Her address challenged listeners to love beyond convenience and ease—to give even when it’s inconvenient, difficult, and costly.
In 2 Corinthians 8, the apostle Paul encourages the brethren to give generously to help the poor saints in Jerusalem and Judea.
Paul reminded them of their past manifestation of love and commended them for excelling in it (v. 7). Now it was time to prove it through concrete actions. So, he exhorts, “I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine” (v. 8).
Consider how genuine love gives:
#1 Genuine Love Gives Despite Circumstances.
In verses 1–2, Paul cites some challenges facing the Macedonian churches, yet they gave generously, even out of their “deep poverty.” When there is a pressing need, love finds a way to step up despite the difficulties.
#2 Genuine Love Gives Enthusiastically.
“The preacher said I should give until it hurts,” remarked a miserly church member. “But for me, it hurts just to think about giving!”
Sadly, this describes too many people, and even some Christians, in our self-absorbed, pleasure-seeking world today. But this was not true of the Macedonian churches. They didn’t need to be begged, prodded, or scolded; they gave freely, generously, and sacrificially.
They gave even beyond their ability. Why? Because Paul said they first gave themselves to the Lord (vv. 3–5).
Indeed, as James Russell Lowell wrote, “The gift without the giver is bare.”
#3 Genuine Love Gives as Christ Gave.
In verse 9, Paul cites Christ’s sacrificial gift: He willingly left the glory of heaven and came to earth to give His life for our sins. He was rich, yet became poor, that we might be rich. Jesus is the ultimate example in loving and giving.
When we love as He loved and genuinely desire to be conformed to His image, we will give to serve the needs of others.
#4 Genuine Love Gives Willingly.
It is not coerced or done out of compulsion, but freely, willingly, and purposefully. Furthermore, genuine love turns good intentions into completed action. It’s one thing to intend to do something; it’s quite another to follow through. Paul urged the Corinthians to complete what they had begun (vv. 10–12).
As Margaret Thatcher once quipped, “No one would remember the Good Samaritan if he’d only had good intentions; he had money as well.”
#5 Genuine Love Gives in Faith.
When we truly believe in the Lord, in His Word, and in His purpose for our lives, giving becomes the natural result. Faith trusts the God who supplies our needs and teaches us to share with others.
If we are really giving, it will cost us something. It may be more than money. Giving may demand my time, talent, energy, and effort to meet the needs of friends, family, and brethren. In fact, it often reaches out to those we don’t even know because we have a heart of compassion that cares about the plight of our fellow man.
Giving costs us something. To paraphrase King David, we ought to adopt the attitude that says, “I will not give unto the Lord that which costs me nothing” (2 Sam. 24:24).
Yet the cost of giving does not cancel the joy of giving. Love can feel the sacrifice and still rejoice in the opportunity to help.
In his article, “With Great Blessing Comes Great Responsibility,” J. D. Greear relates hearing Rick Warren say, “Don’t give until it hurts. Give until it feels good!”
Greear explains that we ought to find joy in giving, realizing what our gift accomplishes and how that outweighs the pain of surrendering it.
Indeed, as our Lord reminds us, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).
Love gives when it costs—and finds joy in what the gift accomplishes.
–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman
