8 I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:8-9

Here’s an interesting twist in the text. In the context of the grace of giving, Paul changed gears and introduced the concept of life’s riches and poverty. Christ who had and was everything, gave it all up so that we could be rich and have a full life. I don’t believe the richness he talked about here was money, though, this could easily be one of the text that the Health and Wealth preachers use for their proof that God wants you rich.

No, monetary wealth is fleeting. But the richness Christ gives is lasting. Prior to Christ we were desperately impoverished. We were flailing around looking for answers in all kinds of places. We were searching. You see it a lot today. Look no further than Hollywood. They search for that elusive high whether it be drugs, alcohol, sex, or power. It’s like water slipping through their fingers. No matter how hard they grasp it, it’s flows through and they are literally empty handed. A small minority in Hollywood have found that richness.

Consider today the richness of His grace. Consider the blessings we experience with Christ as our Savior: peace, hope, joy, goodness, thankfulness, eternal life. Consider, in contrast and only for a moment, what life would be life without Christ.