“You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” 2 Corinthians 9:7 NLT
I’ve emptied my pockets often because a guest minister preaching at church said we should do so. I did this once in school, and my friend laughed hard at me because I had no money to take the bus home. That’s an example of giving under pressure.
I have given money to people because we’ve been taught that giving is good once you see the opportunity. But some of these people who can work for themselves choose to be lazy and beg. I would release the funds, but feel angry in my heart. This is reluctant giving.
There’s nothing wrong with the two scenarios above. You can give because your spiritual leader recommended that you do so. And you can give to an able-bodied adult who chooses not to work. But if it’s not cheerful, you’ve missed it.
The first time I got paid for a service I rendered was a turning point. That day, I realised I had been given so much, and in return, I could give as a form of gratitude.
Because I know how difficult it is for people to monetise the gifts they’ve been blessed with, I counted it a privilege to be able to do so. When I got my first pay cheque, I knew that I had so much to offer.
Now, ask yourself why you give. Is it in gratitude or in exchange for something in return?
How can work be a form of cheerful giving?
We’ve made service become something we do to get money in return. That’s alright because there’s a universal reward system for giving value.
But if that’s the only intent for serving others, then we’ve missed the point. Serving this way causes us to miss opportunities that may not instantly reward us financially but in other ways.
Service is first an act of gratitude. This gratitude comes from the awareness of what we have received from God and who He wants us to be. We feel privileged to do what we do and execute with humility and thanksgiving.
Because of the cycle of value, we are sure to be rewarded. It’s not something to strive for because it’ll come once we give the correct value.
When we serve from gratitude, we do it with joy and cheer. There was a period in my life where this wasn’t my reality. I was always bitter and angry because I felt entitled to a reward that I wasn’t getting.
Everything changed when God helped me see that I was giving the wrong value and serving with the wrong intent. I saw people differently and recognised the different rewards that came my way.
So, let’s give with gratitude, not entitlement.
“I am a cheerful giver.”
When was the last time you counted and named your blessings? If you’re alive reading this, it means you’ve been a candidate for God’s blessings, and you’re still one.
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