What Does It Mean To Be A Cheerful Giver
What does it mean to be a cheerful giver?
Giving in the church is a little confusing. Unlike Jews in the Old Testament, we are not commanded to tithe 10% of our income to our primary place of worship. We are, however, exhorted to financially support both our local church and other believers in need around the world.In 2 Corinthians 9, Paul reminds the church in Corinth that they had promised to collect money for other believers. He writes, 2 Corinthians 9:6-7
6 Remember this-a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 7 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.The word translated “cheerful” is the Greek hilaros, and means pretty much the same-cheerful, joyous. But it also has a sense of readiness. It means to be ready to act at a moment’s notice, to be prepared.With today’s economy, it can be difficult for even the most faithful to give to the church cheerfully-either joyously or readily. There are some things we can do, however, that might help change our attitude.James 1:1717 Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens.[a] He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.[]Every blessing we have, including money, is from God. Remember what we owe. Romans 8:32 says, 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won't he also give us everything else?The “all “ here refers to victory in this life and salvation for the next. A monetary donation is nothing compared to what we receive because of Jesus’ sacrifice. Remember what the money is used for. The money that Paul collected was usually earmarked for the poor saints in Jerusalem Romans 15:2626 For you see, the believers in Macedonia and Achaia[a] have eagerly taken up an offering for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem.These were people who stayed in Jerusalem and developed the foundation of the church. Many lived in poverty after abandoning homes and farms to learn more about Jesus. Ultimately, this is what our offering should go to-the equipping of the saints and the spread of the Gospel. If it doesn’t, we need to rethink who is worthy of our gifts.Remember God’s promise to the giver. Jesus tells us,Luke 6:3838 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full-pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.[a]"This does not mean that God will always financially bless those who give, but if we make Him a priority, He will take care of us.God’s gifts are meant not only to bless us, but for us to use to bless others 1 Peter 4:1010 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.To give grudgingly or not at all is a sign of a heart issue-that we value money, comfort, and security more than the Kingdom of God. It is only when we learn to give ourselves to Christ that we can cheerfully give to support His purpose. If we find giving money to God’s work difficult, we probably haven’t given our heart, either.
AN ANCIENT INSTRUCTION
The apostle Paul famously wrote: "each of you much give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Cor. 9:7). What does it mean to be a "cheerful giver"? The Greek word for "cheerful" is ├ƒÔòØÔûÆÔò¼ÔòùÔò¼ÔûÆ┬ñ├╝┬ñ├«┬ñ├® (hilaros), from which we get the English word hilarious.
THE TRUE MEANING OF CHEER
But Paul is hardly talking about giving excessively to the point of boisterous laughter. Rather, he is saying that one should only give if he can do so gladly, with a smile on his face. A worthy gift is one that leaves both the giver and the recipient in a cheerful disposition. This is precisely the type of joyfulness that the well-known phrase "holiday cheer" is referring to.