But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly. (2 Corinthians 9:5)It is your birthday and one of your kids slaps a WalMart sack down in front of you with something in it. The item still has all the tags on it and the cash register receipt. He says, Here you old bag. Here’s your stupid present. And walks off.
Now theoretically, you can’t say that he didn’t give you a present. He did. And it may even be a nice something. But I know I wouldn’t like it and probably wouldn’t keep it. It is a gift of necessity.
Someone else comes up to you with a hand made item and gives it to you and tells you they love you and made this for you. It goes front and center on the bookshelves in the living room. It is a gift of love.
Both are gifts, both given for a particular reason. But one is unwelcome and one is welcome.
The first gift is given with no indication of love or caring. It was done out of pure duty, out of necessity. Well, it’s your birthday and I had to get you something, didn’t I?
The second gift is given with you in mind. The giver cared for you and did something special for you. It was done out of love because they loved you.
The offering plate is passed. Two people give. One throws some money in without even counting it out of duty. The other gives what he can with love for God.
Quite frankly, as a pastor, I take both, because I am not a judge of hearts. But you know God likes one better than the other.
Jesus was watching a group of people giving in a Jewish church service. It had turned into a contest, each giver trying to out do the other. One would give, the next would give more, the third would give even more and on. Then the second round would start.
Each person giving would try to show himself as the most righteous of all. See how much I give? Surely I am more righteous.
A widow came forward and gave two coins, all she had.
Jesus turned to his apostles and said She gave more than anybody else. The apostles were somewhat taken back by this statement. How can that be. They gave a lot, she only gave a little.
Jesus’ answer? They gave from their excess, she gave all she had. They gave out of pocket change, she gave out of her heart. They were only giving to show off. She gave because she loved God.
The apostle Paul says here that a gift should be from the heart or it is worthless. Over in 1 Corinthians 13, Paul goes out of his way to say that if your heart and if love is not in what you do, it doesn’t matter what you do. If love is not in it, it is worthless no matter who big the offering might be.
Hard thing to do, giving. Taking your money and giving it to the church. But on the other hand, it is what God wants and he will bless you for it.
However, he will only bless you if done out of your heart.
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