Give It All You’ve Got竭尽所能

[Dexu Xia]

Give It All You’ve Got

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give.   2 Corinthians 9:7

Scaling. It’s a term used in the world of fitness that allows room for anyone to participate. If the specific exercise is a push-up, for example, then maybe you can do ten in a row, but I can only do four. The instructor’s encouragement to me would be to scale back the push-ups according to my fitness level at the time. We’re not all at the same level, but we can all move in the same direction. In other words, she would say, “Do your four push-ups with all the strength you have. Don’t compare yourself with anyone else. Scale the movement for now, keep doing what you can do, and you may be amazed in time you’re doing seven, and even one day, ten.”

When it comes to giving, the apostle Paul was clear: “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). But his encouragement to the believers in Corinth, and to us, is a variation of scaling. “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart” (v. 7). We each find ourselves at different giving levels, and sometimes those levels change over time. Comparison is not beneficial, but attitude is. Based on where you are, give generously (v. 6). Our God has promised that the disciplined practice of such cheerful giving brings enrichment in every way with a blessed life that results in “thanksgiving to God” (v. 11).

How would you describe your giving: Cheerful? Reluctant? Under compulsion? Not comparing yourself to anyone else, what might cheerful giving look like?

Generous God, I want to be a cheerful giver, to give it my best effort. I know that discipline in this area is crucial. Give me the wisdom not to compare, the strength to sow generously, and the faith to leave the results in Your hands.

竭尽所能

各人要随本心所酌定的，……因为捐得乐意的人是上帝所喜爱的。—哥林多后书9章7节

按能力调整，是在健身领域广泛被使用的词语，让每一个人都可以按自己的能力参与健身。以伏地挺身为例，可能你一口气能做10下，而我只能做4下。这时，教练就会鼓励我，根据自己当时的体能状态调整所做的次数。虽然每个人的体能水平不同，但努力的方向一致。因此教练可能会说：“尽全力做好你的4下伏地挺身，不要跟别人比。要照着你目前的能力，持续尽你所能地去做。有一天，你会惊讶自己竟能做7下伏地挺身，甚至10下。”谈到奉献和捐输时，使徒保罗说得很清楚：“捐得乐意的人是上帝所喜爱的”（哥林多后书9章7节）。其实他对哥林多教会的信徒和对我们的劝勉，可说是另一种的按能力调整。保罗说：“各人要照着心里所决定的捐输”（7节，新译本）。我们每个人能给予的程度都有所不同，有时这些程度也会随时间而改变，互相比较不会带来益处，正确的态度才有所助益。因此，要照着你现在的能力慷慨解囊（6节）。上帝已经应许我们，在乐意捐输的事上操练自己，我们就能拥有凡事富足的蒙福人生，而“使感谢归于上帝”（11节）。

你以何种态度奉献或给予呢？甘心乐意？不情不愿？或是被迫而为之？若不与任何人比较，你会如何乐意奉献呢？

厚赐万物的上帝，我愿尽我所能地乐意奉献。我明白这种操练至为重要，求祢赐我智慧不与别人比较；赐我力量能慷慨给予，并赐我信心知道祢必看顾。