Cheerful Giving

We've all heard the saying 'God loves a cheerful giver'. Have you ever wondered where it comes from? Why people say it? What they mean by it? And maybe most of all what in the world you're supposed to do about it?

Well let's start with one question at a time. Where does it come from. The verse is 2 Corinthians 9, it's the second half of verse 7.

Why do people say it? Well why do people say anything? Sometimes it's Pastor's who's church needs money or they feel God calling them to teach their congregation about giving, sometimes people are just repeating what they've heard or maybe, like some of those pastors, they repeating what God's placed on their heart to say.

What do they mean by it? Yeah, I can't answer that one for you. Everyone means something different so we'll just skip over that question and move on huh?

But here's the important one, what are you supposed to do about it? The first thing you do is look up the context! This is so important, always look at the context of a verse, otherwise you can really misunderstand its meaning.
2 Corinthians 9:6-8
"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."

Wow there's a lot in those verses but let me point out the things that jumped out at me. Verse 7 starts out with, "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give..." What an important reminder, if you don't understand why this is important go read the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5.

The next part of verse 7 "... not reluctantly or under compulsion...". Giving is between you and God, it's very important, very private and very personal. It's between the two of you and no one else, they can't talk you into it and they can't decide what you should or shouldn't do.

Then comes the favorite quote, "... for God loves a cheerful giver." That part comes only after giving what you decided in your heart to give, after you give without reluctance and not under compulsion, after that God says he loves a cheerful giver. If you're giving under compulsion, if you're holding back you're not cheerful and that's not what He wants.

Let's skip to verse 8, "And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." Not an easy verse to believe, not an easy one to trust in and definitely not easy to "abound in every good work" when you're struggling because you don't see God giving you what it seems you need but still what's expected.

Before I sign off of here I want to go back to verse 6 to make one more point, "Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously." Guess what, this applies to more then just money. Maybe it is money you need to surrender to God, to give what's in your heart and dedicate it to Him, or maybe it's your time, or your energy, or your prayers. Whatever it is remember to do it without reluctance and not under compulsion but to do it cheerfully.