The Cheerful giver

The Cheerful Giver
2 Corinthians 9:6-15 (KJV)
But this I say, He which sowed sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which sowed bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7 Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: 9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remained for ever. 10 Now he that ministered seed to the sowed both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) 11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causes through us thanksgiving to God. 12 For the administration of this service not only supplied the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; 13 Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men; 14 And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.


I have to admit, I’ve been struggling with this passage this week. So I needed to perform a inside job, do a check up from the neck up so to speak. This was the situation, someone I know wanted to go to a special event but they didn’t have the money to attend. I prayed for them and God put it on my heart to bless them with the gift of full tuition to the event.

I believe this was from God to do.

A few months back, I too was in this situation. I wanted to go to a special event but didn’t have the cash to attend. 1 week before the event, a friend called to tell me that I was going and that it was taken care of. What a wonderful gift and blessing for God to put this on his heart.

This person I wanted to bless with the tuition, refused the gift. The reasoning was pretty evident in there explanation of it, and they had 2. First, they explained to me they had already applied for a scholarship and they wanted to see what came of that request. The second, because this person was of the opposite sex, she felt as it may harm our friendship.

We aren’t and probably would never have a relationship outside our friendship but I feel she didn’t see it this way. Of course, I prayed about this, and prayed… and prayed. The answer I received was joyfully and alarmingly clear, I gave the gift directly to the scholarship fund and not to a individual person.

What bothers me most about this is that, in a way, I still paid her way, anonymously. My thoughts are this; did I go against my friends wishes and still provide her a means to go? Why is giving so complicated at times? Why do some people believe you have a ulterior motive when ever you perform a random act of kindness? What if I was interested in her, beyond a normal friendship?

Who boy!!!

The bible verse at the beginning of my blog states, “God loves a cheerful giver”. Does that mean if I am not happy to give, that I shouldn’t give at all? A cheerful giver does not give “out of sorrow” or “reluctantly”; “out of necessity” or “under compulsion.”

Three words come to mind when I think of giving from the heart:
Blessings
Contentment
Grace

When you give, your not just giving of your resources your giving blessings.
“and whoever sows with blessings will also reap with blessings.”
The giver is cheerful because he is sowing blessings for others. And when you go around planting blessings, you harvest blessings yourself! What types of blessings do we reap from giving? Here’s a couple…

Acting Out God’s love in this world.

Fulfilling your God given, purpose in life.

We can show how much God loves us! Psalms 67:1,4 (KJV)

1 God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah.
4 O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shall judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.
2 Corinthians 9:8 (KJV)
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

The word sufficiency is Contentment! Or having all that you need”, “What do you need?” I needed to sponsor her for this event, or did I? My son wants those sour candies and I say it’s too late for candy, Logan. The he’ll say I need those candies, I promise I’ll go to bed on time. Of course, never saying anything about sleeping! We think we need lots of things that we desire. Given our confusion about our needs, the phrase “having all that you need” is misleading.

Our contentment comes from our confidence in the God of all grace, who at all times will give us the grace we need in all things.

God gives us grace so that we can be content in whatever our circumstances might be. And knowing that we are content, knowing that we will be content at all future times, knowing that God will supply our every true need, knowing that He will guide us and direct our paths and bring us safely to His heavenly kingdom, we are free to give and love.

We can be content in every circumstance by the grace of God. We thus can abound in every good work, no matter what it costs us in time, in position, or in money.

So, why does God love a cheerful giver? Because the cheerful giver trusts Him, loves Him, believes in Him. The grudging giver does none of those things. The cheerful giver gives out of His joy in God.

My check up from the neck up is, who was I doing this for God or her? The correct answer is God! My answer, I had no ulterior motive. I wanted her to go because God put it on my heart, my great friend, should see this.

Believe in God’s future grace to you – and then step up and out!


God Bless,
Paul