Chancellor’s Update, from Mark H. Ballard, PhD
December 13, 2025
Being the youngest of nine children, I quickly figured out that I could save myself some trouble and learn things I needed to know in life by watching my brothers and sisters. Often, I could follow their example and be wonderfully blessed. At times, I also learned what not to do by watching the example and seeing that the consequences of some actions were not what I desired. Learning by example is a powerful tool that we can use in any sphere of life.
The first five Baker’s Dozen Principles the Apostle Paul shared in 2 Corinthians 8 & 9 have followed the example of the Macedonians. We have learned valuable insights to help us move from stressful giving to joyful giving. These principles not only enable us to experience joy during the Christmas and Year-End Giving seasons, but they can impact our lives every day of the year.
As Paul shares the sixth principle he shifts our focus away from the example of the Macedonian churches. While these three congregations set a high bar and have taught us much about giving, we now turn to the greatest example of joyful giving in all of human history. Notice Paul’s words recorded in 2 Corinthians 8:9.
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.”
In this verse we learn a crucial principle of how we can move from giving stress to giving joy. When we learn and live out these principles our approach to giving will be transformed. Here is the principle simply stated, You can experience the joy of giving by giving like Jesus.
Consider the example our Lord set for His followers. As you look at the verse, please notice two things. Look with me at the attitude of Jesus’ giving and then notice the action of Jesus’ giving. Paul reminds the Corinthians, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Jesus’ Giving Attitude
Often when we experience stress in giving, it is because we feel obligated to give. Maybe the obligation is because the person has done something for us, and we feel we owe them. Maybe it is simply from a general attitude of duty. In contrast, notice Jesus’ attitude was the attitude of grace. The English word grace translates the Greek word, charis, which refers to unmerited favor or an unmerited gift. In other words, Jesus does not give to us out of a sense of duty or obligation. He does not give because we earned or deserve something from Him. Rather, He gives out of pure unmerited favor. D. James Kennedy used to like to describe God’s grace with the following acrostic: God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. When we give out of an attitude of grace, rather than obligation, our stress seems to dissipate and is replaced by joy.
Jesus’ Giving Action
We can learn from Jesus’ attitude in giving, but we can also learn from His action of giving. Notice how the verse describes Jesus’ action, “though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” The Bible gives us a small glimpse of all Jesus enjoyed prior to His incarnation. Jesus enjoyed the joys of heaven from before the foundation of the world. The Bible tells us, “all things were created through Him and for Him.” (Colossians 1:16) He left the riches of heaven to take on human flesh, be born in a barn, have a feeding trough as His first bed, live a poor and humble life. He was tempted in every way we are yet without sin. He then gave His life in exchange for our lives, taking the penalty for our sin upon Himself, suffering the wrath of God upon sin. For our sakes, He became poor. Yet in exchange, all who turn from sin and trust their lives to Jesus are made rich in Him.
Truly, there is no greater example of joyful giving than the example of Jesus Himself. Talking about this verse, Daniel Akin, President of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, once said, “When I am considering how much I should give to the Lord’s work, I close my eyes and pictuure Jesus hanging on the cross and dying for me. Then I ask Him, ‘Lord, in light of your grace and all you have given me, how much would you have me give?’”
When we follow Jesus’ example, our giving is transformed. We give with a new attitude – an attitude of grace. We give with a new action – giving from our resources so the needs of others can be met. When we follow Jesus’s example, our giving is transformed from stressful giving to joyful giving.