¹⁴ but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack—that there may be equality. ¹⁵ As it is written, “He who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack.”

2 Corinthians 8:14-15 NKJV

We can’t make this work if one succeeds while the other fails and is left behind.  When God made mankind, His desire was for man to live together, to grow together, and to flourish together.  What has man done since?  Disobeyed God, killed each other, enslaved each other, oppressed each other, and repeated the cycle over again.  To this day, we’re still killing and oppressing each other in an unjust system.

Do you think we have come close to being fruitful and multiplying as God desired?  There are several reasons why flourishing continues to evade us.  A few of those reasons boil down to greed, covetousness, and self-righteous pride.  As a whole, mankind lacks the humility to flourish.  For a community – a society – to flourish, it takes love and humility.  Again, two things that we seem to be lacking more and more each day.

You see, for us to flourish, we must understand that flourishing is a group project.  Not one person can go out and build up a community on their own – they need help.  A community can’t be built up if one sits back and does nothing but watch as that one person tries to build.  We build up by helping each other, especially when we have the ability to do so.  When God gives in abundance, He does so for you to minister and share your blessing.

So, if you have the ability to help lift someone up, don’t shy away from doing it if your heart is set to do it.  As I learned growing up, you never know when you might need that person, or a community, to help lift you up.  We have to get as far away as we can from the selfish way of evil man!  Think about it:  If we don’t help lift each other up, who will?