Christian Living

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October 10, 2011 – Giving
[Remember] this: he who sows sparingly and grudgingly will also reap sparingly and grudgingly, and he who sows generously [that blessings may come to someone] will also reap generously and with blessings. Let 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]. – 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 AMP
I cannot count the times I have heard this in churches over the years. “God loves a cheerful giver.” I thought as long as I was all smiles when I wrote that tithe check then I was giving cheerfully. After all, I was acting cheerful. However, there is so much more to this passage than cheer.
The real key to this whole passage are the last six words: “whose heart is in his giving.” It’s one thing to give cheerfully, but it’s a completely different matter to give out of your heart. Many times we give, but not out of our heart. I can tell you from personal experience there have been times when I have given money to the church strictly out of my tithe obligation. Yes, our tithe is an obligation set forth by God, but according to this passage, our heart should always be pure when we give. I know that in these verses Paul is specifically talking about money, but as Christians our giving should go much deeper than that.
I think many times we are so short sighted that we fail to realize what being a cheerful giver entails. We become so engrossed in work, church, PTA meetings, and civic clubs that cheerful giving is just one more thing on our long list of things to do. Being a Christian is so much more than doing things. Sure, we can get recognition out of doing things and other people may identify us as a good, church-going person in the community, but where is our heart? Are we seeking personal approval or are we seeking for God to be glorified. It is only when we find the answer to this question that we will know if we are giving out of pure or selfish motives.
I think we can all look back on times when we have given both money and time selfishly. Perhaps you gave financially expecting a windfall in return. Maybe you volunteered at a homeless shelter out of guilt or manipulation. Or maybe you and your spouse even befriended another couple because you thought you could gain something personally. Whatever the case, if your heart was not in it from the onset, you will never reap the blessing you expect.
Always remember: giving does not only involve money. We can also give our time as well as any other resource we have at our disposal. We can even give our prayers. Whether we give financially, materially, or even spiritually we must always remember that God looks at and knows our heart. And we cannot talk to our heart and one day say “Okay, I’m ready. It’s pure now.” A pure heat is something that is brought forth by a genuine relationship with God. In having that relationship, we should want to give our every thought and action to Him. When we get to that point in our lives only then will we be able to truly give out of the abundance of our heart.

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