We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that has been granted to the churches of Macedonia; 2for during a severe ordeal of affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3For, as I can testify, they voluntarily gave according to their means, and even beyond their means, 4begging us earnestly for the privilege of sharing in this ministry to the saints— 5and this, not merely as we expected; they gave themselves first to the Lord and, by the will of God, to us, 6so that we might urge Titus that, as he had already made a beginning, so he should also complete this generous undertaking among you. 7Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you—so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking. (2nd Corinthians 8:1-7; NRSV)
In his letter to the Corinthian Christians, Paul references how the Macedonians responded to his effort to collect funds for the Christians in Jerusalem. Paul describes the Macedonians as people who had given themselves as well as their resources to Christ.
As we work toward the realization of the church's goal's, let us mimic the “Macedonian Mindset” in steadfastly giving our resources and ourselves to Christ. For how we give, serve and live not only helps to accomplish our objectives, but also serves as evidence of the resurrection. Our commitment to stewardship, like that of the Macedonians, is a testimony of the empty tomb.
