If you have your own Bible, you have highlight, mark it, star it, underline it, do something. Now that means don't take any credit for it. Don't puff yourself up in the process, but continue to faithfully obey your covenant God with a heart filled with gratitude. That's the second principle. The third one is this.
Generosity starts with a given self.
II Corinthians is that story where Paul used the poverty stricken churches in Macedonia as an excellent model of generosity to the very prosperous wealthy people in Corinth. It was a surprise to all of them. Why the people in Macedonia could be so incredibly generous, because they didn't have much. He says in verse 5, they did not do as we expected, they surprised all of us. How do you explain that surprise.