Be a cheerful giver!

So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or out of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.  2 Corinthians 9:7

Many years ago I was mentoring someone who was having all sorts of difficulty in their life.  This person was a Christian and struggling in many areas, finances being one of them.  I helped them to get a schedule for their bills lined up with their pay periods, taught them how to balance their checking account and encouraged them to keep up with it. 

As we were working through all of these things, suddenly this person angrily blurted out that they were tithing and they were sick of tithing because they weren’t seeing a dime of increase from their giving.  I was shocked!  At that point I asked a few questions and then went on to tell them that they might as well stop giving anything.  They looked at me very perplexed.  I went on to explain that God wants us to be cheerful in our giving.  If we cannot do what He has asked us to do with a cheerful heart, we may as well not do it at all. 

In the Old Testament (Malachi 3:6-12), God commands us to give the first ten percent of our gain to the storehouse.  But, the New Testament doesn’t give a specific amount to give.  One example that Jesus used is of the widow giving two mites in Mark 12:41-44.  Even though she had given less than those who were wealthy, she had given all that she had and given it cheerfully and without show.  I believe that Jesus wants us to give with a cheerful heart.  If we give what we have purposed in our heart, but do it grudgingly, we’re not giving freely or with a cheerful heart.  Cheerful obedience is the key.

God doesn’t need our money or things.  Everything in this world is His.  What we have in our personal possession are things that God allows us to have.  It’s our job to be good stewards of what he has allowed in our possession.  Be generous with your time, things, finances, etc.  I remember a time when I felt like the Lord was challenging me to be more generous with my time.  It’s not just finances that we should be generous with.  It’s our lives we should be generous with.  I see myself as being nothing without Jesus Christ.  All I have, all I am I owe to Him and I can never repay Him for His generosity towards me. 

I encourage us all to be generous givers of all that we have to offer…and to be cheerful givers.  That’s what the Lord asks of us.