Joel M Bradshaw

7Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.–2 Corinthians 9

Paul was still making the collection pitch to the Corinthians in order to raise funds to help another church in dire need. Our verse today is a famous one. Most Christians have heard it and have repeated it at some point in their lives.

1. INTERNAL. Giving to God is first an internal matter. Commitments work that way. You can compel someone to say ‘I love you,’ but you can’t make them mean it on the inside. Same with loyalty or faithfulness. The kind of giver God wants is one who actually desires to give and does so out of that desire. The outside flows from the inside.
2. CHEERFUL. This word occurs only here in the New Testament. It has traditionally been translated ‘cheerful’. The word in Greek is hilaron. Many think we get our English word ‘hilarious’ from it, but we can’t read our meaning back into it completely. The kind of giver Paul was picturing here actually enjoyed giving. Giving flowed not only from a conviction, but also from a desire to do so. Some people carefully buy presents at Christmas or birthdays because they truly enjoy giving. These people don’t have to open many presents themselves, but want to see the joy on the faces of the other openers. They prioritize giving rather than receiving. Therefore giving, even at a sacrificial level, becomes a cheerful experience.

So how do you give?–JMB