Joy in Long Obedience
Eugene Peterson calls discipleship “a long obedience in the same direction.” I first read his book by the same name in 2007 as a first-year youth pastor. Freshly graduated from Tabor College, I read the book with my lead pastor as a part of our mentoring journey together. Now, nearly twenty years later, I’d like to nuance that.
We’re still required to have a long obedience in the same direction… as long as we’re headed in the right direction! Life’s curveballs often have a way of forcing us to reassess our direction.
I remember one recent lesson where I was reminded of this. As a business owner, there was a year where I hit a prestigious tier level for both flying and hotel status points. After reaching my goal, I realized I didn’t feel accomplished. Instead, I felt like I missed my family! All those nights away, while “good for business,” were bad for me because I realized I was headed in the wrong direction for my family!
In 2 Corinthians 9, Paul reminds the church of the necessity of generosity. Moreover, he says that God loves a cheerful giver (v. 7). For me, this has been the gauge of my right direction.
When I give, am I continuing to grow not just in generosity, but in my cheerfulness? Said another way: as my means to give more has increased, has my joy in doing so increased at a faster rate?
In verse 11, Paul expands this: “You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”
As our generosity, or our ability to be generous, increases, so should our joy in doing so.
Paul, pulling from early Greek thought, writes about being enriched—literally “someone filled with the fullness of goods.” To the ancient Greeks, it was about the material blessings the gods provided. Paul reframes showing how the fullness of blessing happens in Kingdom living.
Scripture promises us enrichment in a variety of forms, including knowledge, wisdom, the fruit of diligent labor, friendship, honor, peace, and joy. And it is in this context that Paul reminds us how “rich” we really are. Our joy and cheerfulness in giving should be visible to all. As our blessing increases, so does our ability to give away more!
We are blessed with a Savior, a community of believers, material goods, and shalom. The world should see, through our gathering, this complete understanding of richness, because that is what allows us to be “generous on every occasion” as Paul says.
When a friend is ill, it is our richness in the joy and peace of Christ that brings comfort.
When our child is dejected, it is the richness of good friends that bring joy.
When our neighbor confides in us about a difficult journey, it is the richness of God’s wisdom that gives us insight.
Our long obedience in the same direction should have tangible proof of God’s growing generosity inside us.