The Cheerful Giver
A couple of years ago, I was at a Christian conference where there was a Q&A panel. One of the questions that were asked referred to tithes and giving. The previously very outspoken pastors all sat back in their seats and looked nervously at each other wanting someone else to answer the question. I found this really interesting because I think, like so many other people, that money is a very sensitive topic - we don't like talking about it.
It was rare to have heard any sermons about giving and money growing up and I didn't know about tithing as it wasn't something my family did or told me about. I had just started exploring faith for myself after a low point, and the first sermon I had heard was on tithes and giving. I had so many questions and dismissed it, after all, I didn't have any money anyway, so why should I give away the little I had?
Then for the next couple of weeks as I travelled to different cities, every sermon that was preached was on giving and tithing. What on earth was this about?! Not only had I never heard of tithing before, but now I had heard about it 6 separate times in the space of a month! Cut a long story short, I then spent time trying to understand what tithing was and the importance of giving, as God was clearly wanting me to understand this!
2 Corinthians 9:6-7 puts it so much better than I could:
"The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
Over the years since then, I have been learning what it means to be a 'cheerful giver'. Honestly, it has been really challenging to trust God with my finances. However, since then, God has always taken care of me, whether that's with a job, places to live, even our wedding was an incredible blessing financially.
I was reminded of this more recently, Isaac and I have struggled with student finance for the last couple of years, so have been relying fully on my part-time paycheck and savings. Throughout this, we kept trusting in God, and kept tithing and giving where we felt God told us to give, even as all our savings kept creeping down and we would max out our overdrafts each month. But let me tell you, God is faithful and always good! We had 2 years of payments come through all in one go (even though it seemed like we wouldn't get anything from them), which got us out of our overdraft, and into the best financial situation, we have ever been in! Now, I'm not telling you this to brag, but to show you that God does work in very real ways. We have learnt to not see that money as ours, but as what God has blessed us with for this period. And we have learnt that if God calls us to give that away, then that is what we will do.
So, I know that for so many people this is a really difficult time, whether that is due to Covid, or just the financial strain of Christmas. But if I can leave you with one encouragement today, trust God with all you have, even if you don't have much. So give cheerfully and generously - if you trust in Him with your finances, God will always look after you.
God bless,
Larissa
