The Cheerful Giver

​Giving.  Tithing.  Money.  Finances.  All these are sensitive topics and can ruffle quite a few feathers and rattle people’s consciences.  Many people have opinions on these subjects and share them freely, while others don’t want to be told how to manage their money or how and where they should give.  No matter what our stance is on these various points, we must always look at what God’s heart and desire is in these matters.  We must seek out how God wants us to handle our finances, abundance, and generosity and not let people and the world dictate how we manage these areas. 

​So as we continue our study in II Corinthians, we find that Paul lingers on the topic of giving and how the Corinthians—and therefore, we—should approach it.  Let’s see what the Spirit-filled Apostle has to say:

“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion,
​for God loves a cheerful giver.”
~II Corinthians 9:7

​Who does God love?  A cheerful giver.  We want to please God and do things that He loves, so let’s look at the characteristics and traits of a cheerful giver.
 

• A cheerful giver gives with joy.  He does not give because he feels obligated or pressured into contributing, but because it’s his delight. 
•  A cheerful giver gives freely and with abandon.  Just as the widow with the two mites gave all she had willingly and freely, so also the cheerful giver is not held back by selfish ambition or monetary worries, but gives generously and freely as he is led. 
•  A cheerful giver gives privately.  Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for their lavish and public displays of generosity because they were doing it for the benefit of man’s awe and reverence rather than God’s pleasure.  Therefore, the cheerful giver—the one in whom God delights—gives privately without seeking undue attention from a watching world.
•  A cheerful giver gives because he knows that he has been given much.  Jesus said, “To whom much is given, much is required.”  The cheerful giver realizes that he has been given immeasurable blessings and grace through Jesus Christ and therefore, delights in giving from the abundance he has received.  He has no desire to hoard these resources and treasures for himself but wants to share with those in need.  For him, giving is an act of gratitude and thanksgiving for all that God has done.

 
This gives us a lot to think and ponder on.  These are all characteristics of a cheerful giver, and as Paul tells us, God loves the cheerful giver.  So the question for us is…are we cheerful givers?
 
Do we give with joy?  Are we generous with our giving?  Do we make our contribution in private for the benefit of God’s eyes only?  Are we giving because we understand how much God has given us or are we giving out of duty, obligation, and expectation?
 
What are our motives for giving?  Are we truly cheerful givers?
 
As we examine ourselves and let God’s Spirit open our eyes to hidden motives or reasons for giving, may we become more and more like the cheerful giver whom God loves.