“Each of you should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” – 2 Corinthians 9:7
Here is something preachers say a lot: “Give until it hurts.”
Guess what? That is total nonsense.
The Bible says to give until you’re hilarious and lighthearted!
Seriously? Yep.
Here’s the real scoop about giving to God:
- It all belongs to God, anyway. Everything we have is His.
- The starting point (not the destination) in faithful giving is the tithe (10% of what we earn). The first 10% – not the last. If we’re not doing this, then God’s Word calls us thieves. What? Yes, we’re robbing God. Malachi 3:8 says, “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.” But you ask, “How do we rob You?” “In tithes and offerings.” We don’t even need to pray about whether or not to tithe. That would be like praying about whether or not we ought to rob a bank. On certain actions, the Bible is clear about what to do.
- Cheerful giving is Biblical. In 2 Corinthians 9:7, the word for “cheerful” actually means hilarious or lighthearted. Once we realize that all we have is God’s and demonstrate that belief through tithing, then the real adventure in giving begins. Seeking God’s will about where to give and how much to give is a spiritual experience that enriches our relationship with Christ. When we do this in faith, we will experience joy and happiness at taking part in God’s kingdom work.
So, don’t give till it hurts; give until you’re irrepressibly happy!
Written by Bryant Wright, Founder, RFTH
