The Corinthians are urged by the Apostle Paul not to just give, but to excel in giving as they excel in other areas of the Christian life.

But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.

2 Corinthians 8:7 (ESV)

Perisseuō is the Greek word for excel. It means abundantly overflowing, cascading like waves, with each wave surpassing the previous one. To excel is to have a God-given ability and capacity to do something exceptionally well and without hesitation. This is because grace gives us the freedom and desire to glorify our Father in all things.

We give because we want to imitate Christ in every manner, not because it is required of us

Christ became poor so that we might become rich in everything (2 Corinthians 8:9). We don’t give to get, but we give because Christ already gave all He has to us. We will never suffer lack or want when we believe God is our provider who meets our every need.

God always gives us more than we need or imagine. God does not, however, bless us in order for us to indulge ourselves or insulate ourselves from receiving more of His abundant provision. Giving less than what God has blessed and equipped us to give is not just stinginess; it is also injustice. When we give and share our resources, we are making room for God to do more in us and through us than we could hope to do on our own. The boy with five loaves and two fishes cannot feed the five thousand, but when he placed what he had in the hands of Jesus, an incredible miracle took place.

Learn to give simply, freely and generously.

Being generous is less about the amount we give and more about having the attitude to share with others what God has given us. By giving willingly and cheerfully, we are learning not to selfishly cling to what we own and become open-handed with what we have in Christ.