Hosea 6-9 / 3 John / Psalm 126 / Proverbs 29:12-14
Now that we have entered the Christmas season, part of the joy of the holidays is that we are blessed to experience the heart and act of giving. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, by far the greatest gift given to us by the Father, we are all reminded about the generosity God has shown us. When we experience generosity, most of us are compelled to also be generous.
The Father initiated giving and He knows that His heart to give and bless will spur us to do the same. We have been given so much, first of which is natural life. We were created in the image of God and given the breath of life. Whether our lives are filled with blessing or difficulty, most of us have much for which to be thankful.
Out of the abundance of what we’ve been given, most want to find a way to give to and bless others, especially at this time of year. Many are looking for ways to give to those less fortunate and that is a worthy act that I highly encourage everyone to engage in. We could find and quote scripture after scripture on generosity, giving, etc. I want to look at one set of verses for today.
3 John 5-8 NLT Dear friend, you are being faithful to God when you care for the traveling teachers who pass through, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church here of your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers in a manner that pleases God. For they are traveling for the Lord, and they accept nothing from people who are not believers. So, we ourselves should support them so that we can be their partners as they teach the truth.
It’s easy to give to our family and friends but what about when we are asked to give to strangers, or even to someone who we consider to be an enemy? In the season of giving, I’m excited to give gifts to my family and friends. When given an opportunity, I also enjoy giving to strangers. However, what would I do if I found out my enemy had a need? Would I cheerfully give to her?
2 Corinthians 9:7 NLT 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.”
What does it mean to give cheerfully? The Greek word from the Strong’s Concordance means joyous, merry, prompt, willing and hilarious. When I read these descriptive words, I think of a person who can’t wait to give. A person who says “yes” even before giving the idea full thought. A person who is so happy to give they are giddy.
How many of us feel this way when giving? I’d say there are times we know we should give so we give but our hearts are irritated that we must give. How many times have you celebrated that you had an opportunity to give?
Jeff and I were recently eating with a friend who shared with us a story of another friend who had been given an opportunity to give. Do you know what her response was? She joyfully gave thanks for being thought of and for the opportunity to give. If all of us saw the blessings that were activated and released in the Spirit when we gave, we would joyfully do so more often!
