Traditionally, most churches followed a Sunday ritual of collecting offerings accompanied by music, solemnly passing a basket through rows of congregants. A church I once attended departed from that custom by placing baskets at the front of the sanctuary. The party began when the pastor invited us to bring offerings in the spirit of 2 Corinthians 9:7b.
God loves a cheerful giver
At that point, a praise band would erupt with joyful contemporary music as individuals danced up the aisles with their contributions. This ceremony may not have increased giving, but it was considerably more fun than “passing the basket”.
I confess my cheerfulness in giving has been mitigated by my upbringing. My parents lived through the Great Depression. So “God loves a careful saver” sometimes spoke more strongly to me. Another popular concept around biblical generosity might be summed up as “God loves giving to lavish spenders”. These are only three of many ideas about the wisest path to handling earthly resources in a godly way. Such a variety of influences reminds me of this elephant in the room.
Like these blind men, many of us settle on one or two aspects of biblical generosity instead of exploring the manifold perspectives contained in scripture.
To get your exploration juices going, try this approach to understanding godly generosity. When a portion of scripture — a narrative, a parable, a proverb, or an exhortation such as 2 Corinthians 9 or James 2, speaks to a facet of giving, wise thrift, or even miserliness — take it as God’s request to “see” biblical generosity in a new way.
Further, if an unfamiliar or novel viewpoint on generosity pops up, ask God for discernment: “Do you want me to act on this right now?” — while keeping in mind that the enemy of our souls can use fast moving guilt trips to derail us, even if scripture seems to legitimize a particular view. Check your motivation by 2 Corinthians 9:7.
For today read 2 Corinthians 9:1-15 to place “God loves a cheerful giver” in context. What aspect of generosity is Paul encouraging in this passage? Is God speaking to you in regard to its theme in a present circumstance? Share your insights with a friend.
by Kathleen Petersen
