2 Corinthians 9:7 - Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
I did two things this week that I don’t usually do. The first thing was exciting. I got a screaming deal on a (way too) big TV. I loaded it into my car with not an inch to spare. I nervously drove home and muscled it up the stairs into my house. I carefully attached the feet, put it in place, and powered it on. And, as I removed the protective cover, I am greeted by the colorful glow of a completely smashed in screen.
To say I was disappointed was an understatement. Not only was the broken TV huge let down, it also meant that I had been given a new chore. I had to figure out how to get the dumb thing back to the store!
This leads to the second thing which, for me, is nerve-racking. I had to ask someone for help; I hate asking for help. My natural inclination is to be fiercely independent and self-reliant. Thankfully, I had a friend who just recently bought a truck and was more than willing to jump in and help even when he only had a limited window. He came by, helped me load it up, carried it back to the store (where just took the refund), and brought me home again. All in, it took about 45 minutes, but it meant a lot to me that it was such an easy “yes.”
As you go through your daily life how easy is your “yes?” Can you give your time or resources easily or does it take some convincing? It is so easy for us to point to busyness, we’re always so busy. However, God has called us to prioritize people over projects. We can show love to our friends and neighbors by letting them interrupt our day.
We easily and quickly agree to the merits of mission’s work. We love to support people who go out and do the hard work of taking the Gospel to people. It gets a little hard when we are asked to do the work ourselves. Doing good deeds won’t impress God, however they make a big impression on the people around you. Theologian Martin Luther said, “God doesn’t need your good works, but your neighbor does.”
How can you be a cheerful giver this week?