“Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” --2 Corinthians 9:6-7
As with most disciplines, the discipline of giving comes with its own set of blessings. Here comes the rub, however; how do you celebrate the blessings of giving without the motive becoming selfish?
It can be easy to assume that as people following God’s commands in the Bible, we are to simply strong-arm our way through them, teeth clenched, no matter the difficulty of the instruction.
But it’s important to remember that one of the reasons these commands exist is because the Lord loves us. He wants what’s best for us, and the Bible reveals the kinds of results that can occur from obeying his direction. It’s important to check your heart and mind on a regular basis and make sure your motives are where they should be in regards to giving, but it’s okay to allow yourself to enjoy the outcomes! That’s what they’re there for! God is the source of joy, and He delights in His children experiencing it.
In the verse above from Corinthians, “reaping bountifully” might look different for some people than it does for others. Here are some ways the blessings of giving could manifest themselves:
1. Giving might provide perspective on spending
What do you actually need vs. want? It involves planning ahead, so you might be more likely to think through that spontaneous Starbucks drink before you buy it. It’s kind of like automatic budget assistance!
2. Giving could help you not serve money.
Money can quickly become an idol if you’re not on guard against that temptation. By giving, you’re making a statement to your own heart that your money wasn’t yours to begin with. Matthew 6:24 says, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
3. Giving often changes our outlook on how “rich” or “poor” we really are.
When I was in college, it was easy to feel like what I was labeled: “a poor college student,” drowning in loans and rent. However, when you make room in your budget to give, you suddenly realize that you do have margin. Yes, you might have to give up buying that new shirt you saw at the mall or eating out this week, but you might find that giving makes you feel happier than those things.
When I asked a close friend what he thought “reaping bountifully” looked like in his life, he said,
“I thinkgiving has both tangible and intangible blessings and effects. Maybe my giving results in increased income because I’ve proven myself to be a good steward. Maybe it’s increased income so that I can increase my capacity to give. Maybe it means more people get saved because my church gets to grow or because someone gets to stay alive because they’ve been fed.”
Don’t be afraid to celebrate the blessings that giving and generosity bring. They might not be revealed to you right away, and some you may never be aware of, but rest assured that giving does make the lives of both the giver and the receiver abound.
Written by Lauren Bernhagen
This blog post is from the Author's perspective and doesn't speak for brightpeak financial. Contact brightpeak if you want to know more about brightpeak products, and keep in mind that they are not available in all states and there are some limitations (some exclusions and restrictions may apply).
