Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need.
2 Corinthians 8: 13 – 14
In Eugene Peterson’s The Message, he interprets verses 13 & 14 in this way. “You are shoulder to shoulder with them all the way, your surplus matching their deficit, their surplus matching your deficit. In the end you come out even. As
it is written, nothing left over to the one with most, nothing lacking to the one with the least.” Shoulder to shoulder brings back members from what seems like long ago.
In June 2007 my church, Zwingli United Church of Christ in Souderton, burned to the ground. Through the night 15 fire companies worked to save the sanctuary and it was all that remained as morning broke. Shoulder to shoulder with their surplus matching our deficit began on that first day. Several local churches came to be with us and to pray with us. They offered their church buildings for whatever space we needed. There were many other examples of surplus and deficit throughout the long three years when we rebuilt.
Two years later we began rebuilding our church home and the community came to help. Every Saturday other local churches had volunteers team up with our volunteers and shoulder to shoulder they worked to install drywall and to bring hope to a situation that sometimes seemed less than hopeful. There was a carpenter who crafted a beautiful wooden cross for our offsite worship services….his skills met our deficit. The surplus of help and skills of those volunteers matched the deep deficit that we were feeling. They worked next to us, shoulder to shoulder and it was something that many of our church members will never forget.
This example can be applied to so many instances in our lives…feeding the hungry as we have an abundance of food; providing safe, sanitary and secure housing for the homeless and for victims of natural disaster; and, providing hope for those who feel that deep feeling of hopelessness. Where we match a deficit there are those in turn who provide us with their perseverance, a strong and deep faith in God that causes us to be in awe and a huge lesson in humility that they show in allowing others to help them.
In this season of Advent, as we prepare for the birth of Jesus, what surpluses do each of us have that could meet the deficit of many others?
Gracious God, we thank you for all those who recognize their surpluses and give to many with deficits. May we be ever mindful of those around who are in need of our surpluses. Amen
Sue Wack is a Disaster Case Manager for Antietam Valley Long Term Recovery Group.
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