“But I am sending these brothers to be sure you really are ready, as I have been telling them, and that your money is all collected. I don’t want to be wrong in my boasting about you. We would be embarrassed—not to mention your own embarrassment—if some Macedonian believers came with me and found that you weren’t ready after all I had told them! So I thought I should send these brothers ahead of me to make sure the gift you promised is ready. But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly.”
2 Corinthians 9:3-5 NLT
Taking these verses out of context may give the impression that Paul sent the bailiffs to collect the Corinthian offering for the poor in Jerusalem. But the last part of verse 5 reads, “But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly”. Paul just seems to be putting a little pressure on in case what they had said wasn’t what they had meant. Were they in danger of backtracking on a promise made previously? Paul continues in 2 Corinthians 9 with some instructions about voluntary giving that have helped countless Christians ever since, but more on that later.
Paul was obviously a little unsure about the state of readiness with the Corinthian offering. It was one that they had apparently promised to collect, because we read in a previous verse, “For I know how eager you are to help”. In fact, Paul was sure that they had been ready to send in their offering a year before. Perhaps because of the communications problems and the distances involved, Paul seemed to have a little niggle of doubt in the back of his mind. Paul had spent most of the previous chapter in 2 Corinthians also writing about this offering, but the situation was coming to fruition, and a party of “brothers”, fronted up by Titus, carrying Paul’s letter, were on their way to collect it.
Had the Corinthians made a promise to collect an offering, or was it just something they had discussed as a possibility, without any firm commitment? That they were going to make a collection did not seem to be in any doubt, so I suspect that there was a promise involved. Paul was just including a reminder that it was time to start the journey to Jerusalem with what had been collected, in case there were any stragglers still to give, and fulfil their part of the promise.
The Bible says much about making promises, because they reflect a person’s character. We all know about disappointments that come from believing a promise that doesn’t materialise. A father might promise his child that a certain present will be in their Christmas stocking, only for the child to find that he didn’t keep his promise. So, Scriptures emphasise the importance of integrity, caution, and reliability when making promises. Apparently, in Jesus’ day, vows or promises were made by referring to something sacred to lend them weight. Jesus taught about this in Matthew 5. In fact, Jesus said that we shouldn’t make any vows at all in these verses, finishing the example He gave with “Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one” (Matthew 5:37). James repeated this instruction, “But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned” (James 5:12). From these verses we gain the picture that promises should be made with care, and, once made, the promise is an important part of a person’s integrity, and to break a promise goes against what God desires. The one legacy of making promises in a public setting can be found in our law courts, where witnesses are asked to swear an oath with their hand on a Bible or another holy book. But Jesus taught that a person’s character should be so reliable that elaborate oaths are unnecessary.
God’s faithfulness is beyond dispute, and He always keeps His promises. In Numbers 23:19, we read, “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” Joshua had no doubts about God’s integrity, as we read in Joshua 23:14, “Soon I will die, going the way of everything on earth. Deep in your hearts you know that every promise of the Lord your God has come true. Not a single one has failed!” As we read through the Bible, we find, time and again, that God’s promises come true. The greatest of them all was the coming of Jesus, and Jeremiah prophesied, ““For the time is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line. He will be a King who rules with wisdom. He will do what is just and right throughout the land. And this will be his name: ‘The Lord Is Our Righteousness.’ In that day Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety”” (Jeremiah 23:5-6). Whenever we find a verse that includes “Says the Lord” we sit up and take note, because what God says will come to pass.
We pilgrims must be a people of integrity. There is no other way. He or she “breaks a promise” must never appear as a statement in a pilgrim’s list of character attributes. And whenever we find ourselves in a situation that calls for a promise, we make it with care and integrity, carefully considering the consequences.
Dear Heavenly Father. You have made us in Your image and because You have never broken a promise, then neither must we. We pray for Your help when faced with situations requiring a promise. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Being a Pilgrim 