A Cheerful Giver
Some people, including Christians, say we need to “give till it hurts.” Do not believe that for a second. God does not want gifts given in pain. He wants gifts given in joy from a cheerful giver. In fact, those are the only kinds of gifts that please Him.
That is why He tacked His promise of abundance onto His command about cheerful giving. The two are connected.
7Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, “prompt to do it”) giver [whose heart is in his giving].
8And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation].
Simply stated, cheerful, full of faith, even hilarious, giving is the key that unlocks the treasure house of God. It is a type of giving that is not extracted from people like a dentist extracts teeth. Instead, it is given gladly. It is joy filled and wonderful, and it moves God.
The concept of “giving till it hurts” did not come from God. He would rather us give $10 with the above kind of joy than $20 grudgingly. In the following passages, the Apostle Paul urges the church in Corinth to give with eager willingness because eager willingness is what God looks for.
11So now finish doing it, that your [enthusiastic] readiness in desiring it may be equalled by your completion of it according to your ability and means.
12For if the [eager] readiness to give is there, then it is acceptable and welcomed in proportion to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.
In summary, we need to make a firm commitment to start and continue giving the way God instructs. Moreover, we need to repent for the times we have given grudgingly. Then spend some serious time with God and His Word in our prayer closets, so when we give again, we can give from a willing heart. In other words, we must put the “pain” of giving behind, and become a cheerful, joyous, prompt-to-do-it giver, and our blessings will abound.
God Bless!
“Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified Bible”
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Comment by Karen on August 29th, 2009:
For more ideas on cheerful giving, you may want to visit http://www.cheerfulgivers.org which is a charity that provides toy-filled birthday gift bags for children living in poverty.