The One Whom the Lord Commends
God loves a cheerful giver. Why? I can think of at least two reasons and they both reflect on Him.
A person who gives cheerfully does so, not because they have so much money they don’t have to be concerned about what they give. It is no big deal for a billionaire to give a thousand dollars or even a hundred thousand so God doesn’t get too worked up about that. A cheerful giver is cheerful because they trust God. Our money says “In God We Trust” but it’s basically a lie. It’s a nice thought so I’m glad our money says it but 95%+ of Americans don’t really mean it. A cheerful giver really means it.
A cheerful giver also catches God’s special attention because their action proves that they care about others. Unless you are a dolt of a parent your heart is warmed whenever you see you child act in a truly caring and selfless way. God feels the same way as well.
Paul says in chapter ten that he doesn’t fight with the world’s weapons. “You must fight fire with fire” may work with fires but it is the devil’s wisdom in everything else. You don’t fight hate with hate, or pride with pride. You might fight people with those things but people aren’t the real enemy. You fight pride with humility and hate with love.
Paul doesn’t measure his success, or the success of others, in a worldly way either. People who look to numbers and worldly prestige to determine success have already missed the mark. Jesus said in John 5:44 “How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?”
Whether in giving, or fighting, or serving, Paul said it this way, “For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.”
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