THE RIGHT ORDER
2 Corinthians 8:3-5 NKJV
3 For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, 4 imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. 5 And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.
As you read your Bible, there will frequently be times that the Holy Spirit, our great teacher, will highlight a verse to you that can speak to more than just the context in which it was written. Please allow me to explain.
This chapter is all about generosity and giving. Paul was praising the churches from Macedonia who gathered a big offering for the churches in Israel who were facing some difficult financial challenges. He talks about how they gave over and above their own ability and urged Paul to receive the gift in order to help the churches in need.
In verse five, Paul said that the churches in Macedonia, which included Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea, first gave themselves to the Lord and then to us by the will of God. So for these churches, their first priority was to the Lord and then to Paul and his team. When I read that verse this morning, the Holy Spirit caused me to see that verse from a bit of a different application. Paul was talking about giving, but there is a principle here that applies to a broader context.
If you have been keeping up with news, especially news coming out of the church world, you are aware of some of the challenges the Big C church has faced recently. Two major ministries with a global reach have seen their pastors resign due to moral failure in the last month. That is two big hits to the Body of Christ, and believe me, no one wins here. I have been saddened to see other ministries dog pile on these two fallen brothers, and there is no scriptural precedent for that. The Bible says that when one suffers, we all suffer (1 Corinthians 12:26), not when one suffers, we all rejoice if they are not from our brand of Christianity. But I digress.
One of the biggest challenges that happens when any minister falls is the fallout among the people. Way too many people walk away from their faith due to disappointment and disillusionment because the one they trusted let them down. While I understand their hurt, to walk away indicates that these people had things out of order. The right order is that we give ourselves to the Lord first. We are connected and committed to Him first. Sure, we attach to people, churches, and ministries, but our most important attachment is to the Lord. And when we have our primary attachment to the Lord, we are able to move past the hurt of having a minister fall. The Lord never falls and never disappoints. He is consistent and faithful, and when others fall, He is still standing.
And we can apply this principle to all our relationships. I am committed to the Lord first before my commitment to Joy. Of course, we know that if I am committed to the Lord, my commitment to my wife is strong. It was our connection to the Lord that helped us stay married in our early days and continues to enrich our marriage after 42 years. Joy is committed to the Lord first, then to me. And having things in the right order stabilizes our lives and reduces the pressure we tend to place on people. I love being a pastor, but the best thing I can do for the people is to stay committed to the Lord first and then encourage them to place their relationships in the right order. I don’t run from my responsibility as a leader, but you want to put your faith in the Lord first. As a human, I retain the capacity to let you down. But the Lord never will.
PRAYER
Lord, I am committed to You first. You died for me, and I choose to live for You. You are my rock and fortress, not other people. I love and appreciate the ones You have brought into my life, but when it’s all said and done, my eyes are on You. Thank You for your faithfulness and consistency!