A CHEERFUL GIVER

DAY 172

2 Corinthians 9:7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

In the words of Saint Paul above, many forms of giving are intended to be captured: giving of resources, giving of gifts and even the giving of self. With all these forms of giving, the caveat is the same ‘give as decided in your heart and not under compulsion or in reluctance.

That is why you cannot expect ‘threats’ to bring any men to Salvation, except they become convicted and so willingly receive. In salvation, there is an exchange happening, “you for Christ”. So until one makes up their mind to give themselves wholly, your giving will never be complete.

God is also very particular about the absence of compulsion such that even when He knows the price at stake is that of our souls, He can only stand at the door of our hearts and knock (Rev 3:20). As creator, He stands, as though helpless, until his own creation let him in.

Here is some truth – whenever you give under compulsion, it becomes like a tug of war where you keep a piece of rope attached to what you have given and over time, pull a bit back to yourself. Thus, you never really give. The rewards that follow any giving come when the giving is completed: “As purposed in heart and not grudgingly, for God loves a cheerful giver.

#sly