Cheerful Giver

Several weeks ago, my brother called me filled with excitement because he had something to give to fill a special need. Being on disability means he has a very limited income and he struggles accepting help from others. So being able to "give back" meant a lot to him.

His excitement has stayed with me as I've evaluated my own attitude toward giving. Admittedly, giving is habitual. Paycheck arrives; I write a check for church. Because pay is biweekly, sometimes I forget. When I do, I find myself thinking, "I owe church." In other words, I tend to treat my tithing like a bill.

Granted, there are other giving avenues. We support a number of things and I enjoy giving where I know there is a need. Those are gifts above and beyond our tithes. Plus I enjoy making and giving cards to people. But do I have the kind of excitement, that overflowing joy, my brother expressed?

The truth is, we won't always feel joyful as we give. Feelings are always fleeting and sometimes even deceptive. Paul wrote, "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:7 ESV). In other words, we can decide to tithe ten percent or fifteen percent or whatever, but it is our decision; giving is not forced upon us. At the same time, there should be no sense of doing what is expected or required of us when giving. I should feel free to give or even hold back. But it should be based on personal decision and a sincere desire to follow through.

Paul had been writing to the Corinthians about the needs of the Christians in Jerusalem who were suffering under persecution. When he came to visit the Corinthians, he was hoping they would join the Macedonian churches in collecting a gift to be carried to Jerusalem. Notice what Paul wrote about the Macedonians:

...in a severe test of affliction,

 their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed

 in a wealth of generosity on their part. 

For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, 

and beyond the means, of their own accord, 

begging us earnestly for the favor 

of taking part in the relief of the saints..." 

[Italics are mine]

2 Corinthians 8:2-4 ESV

Did you notice that the Macedonians saw their giving as a favor to themselves? They actually begged to give to the relief of the saints. Even when I contribute to a need, I can't say that I would beg for the opportunity to give no matter how important I consider the cause to which I am giving. Nor do I generally give beyond my means. I tend to weigh the balance in my mind and give according to what I believe we can afford. Giving beyond our means requires trust that God will provide what we need. 

I've known people who live well beneath their income for the specific reason that they want to have the freedom to give. I sincerely admire them. And as I reflect over my life, I realize that some of our most generous giving to others has been when we had the least and were already trusting God, relying fully on Him.

The point is this:

whoever sows sparingly

will also reap sparingly,

and whoever sows bountifully 

will also reap bountifully. 

2 Corinthians 9:6 ESV

[Note: Although I've written this in the singular first person, the decisions I've written about are joint decisions made by my husband and me.]