Give with joy!

God finds great joy in giving; there are no long faces when he gives. Jesus, with joy, gave himself because he loved people and because he was looking forward to an even greater joy which was awaiting him. Jesus said that it is an even greater joy to give than to receive. He knew the joy of giving. Generous people are happy people! When you discover the joy of giving and blessing others, you can't stop!

An adage puts it like this: ‘The greatest pleasure one can have is to make others glad.’ There is a Christian truth which is expressed in this simple sentence. It says something about the motive behind the action. It expresses a wish to be something for other people and a joy in others’ happiness.

The right way to give is to give happily and not because we are compelled, or reluctantly. The one who is happy to give, gives more than just a gift, he also gives good feelings which make the gift a double blessing. To give properly is to give from the heart and to give something of oneself that makes the gift valuable.

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Cor.9:7)

Give in secret!

Jesus spoke out strongly against the Pharisees’ way of giving. Hypocrites made it known to everyone how noble they were and how much they gave. Jesus says that they have already got their reward. They have had people’s praises. Jesus’ disciples are not looking to receive honour from people but have an honest desire to be like their master - he who went about doing good and helping people in their need.

“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honoured by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matt.6:2-4)

Jesus teaches his disciples that giving and helping others must be such a natural part of our character and personality that our left hand does not know what our right hand is doing. Then it has become so natural to give that you do not notice it! You do not make a fuss about it, you just give.

Jesus says that on the great day when we shall all give account, many will be surprised about the results. Some will be rewarded because they have given help to one who needed it, but they do not know that they have done a good deed. Others will be sent away for not having helped because they have not seen the need. They did not know they had been negligent.

In this story Jesus wants to emphasise that, when giving has become such a natural part of a person’s character and nature that they do it automatically, almost without thinking about it, then they are like their Father in heaven and will enter into his joy.

Exercise:

Have you discovered the joy of giving? How?

Why is it unnecessary to boast about our giving?

Continue to memorise and add this verse:

And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. (2.Cor. 9:8)