Be a Cheerful Giver – Jane Young
“Each one must do just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace overflow to you, so that, always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed…” (2 Corinthians 9:7-8 NASB).
Where did your first thought go to when you read the title of this devotion? My guess is it went toward the idea of giving money, right? Yet, there’s so much more to giving than just giving money. In fact, I’m convinced there’s no better gift than giving the gift of ourselves.
Let me explain. Almost anyone can give money – some more than others, but not everyone is willing to give their time to help someone out. It doesn’t have to be a lot of time. In fact, just a few minutes to listen to someone who has a heavy heart (really listen) could mean so much more than merely handing them money.
We need to think too, about our mindset. How willing are we to give to others and not do it grudgingly? For example; what if our neighbor’s car broke down and they needed a ride to work for two weeks? Yes, it’s a few blocks out of our way, but can we give this time to our neighbor cheerfully — or will we gripe and complain the whole two weeks?
There are lots of ways to give, but the one thing we need to keep in check is the attitude in which we are giving. If we fulfill a need in someone else’s life with the gift of ourselves, we need to do it cheerfully – not feel resentment against others because they needed our help.
Prayer: Lord, help me to be a cheerful giver no matter what I’m giving.
Jane has a heart for serving God and making a difference in the lives of others. Contact
