Day 12 – Cheerful givers

“But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:6-7

Everything is connected to our hearts. What we say and how we act. How we treat others and even how we worship God. And as we’ve learned over the past few days, giving is not what you give, but with the heart you give it. It’s emphasized all through scripture. In his epistle to Corinth, Paul explained that a heart filled with the love of Jesus will give as he purposes in his heart and not with grunginess or because of necessity.

Unfortunately, the point of view towards the church in the past few years became “the church just wants money.” Where in some cases this might be true of some churches, it is not God’s truth. God filled scripture with truths about finances for a reason. It’s not to shy away from, but to study, embrace, and understand so that we look at giving the same as all other spiritual disciplines.

Prayer: Father, thank You for showing us that giving should be seen in the same light as all the other spiritual disciplines and that when we give, we should do so with a cheerful heart. Whether we sow sparingly or bountifully, but always in line with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Amen.