Each one of you should give just as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, because God loves a cheerful giver.
Into the Text
Everything we have—our time, our money, our gifts, even the breath in our lungs—is a gift from God.
It’s a humbling truth, especially in a world that constantly tells us to hold tighter, save more, and build bigger. But the reality is we’re not the owners of what we possess. We’re stewards—temporary caretakers of what permanently belongs to Him.
And when we begin to see our lives through that lens, it shifts our hearts.
We stop giving out of guilt or pressure but instead out of gratitude for what we already have. We stop measuring generosity by how much is left over. Instead, our giving becomes an act of worship—an overflow of trust, gratitude, and surrender. We start asking, “Lord, how can I honor You with what You’ve placed in my hands?”
And we begin to give because He first gave to us.
We come to realize that every act of generosity reflects His heart—a God who didn’t withhold His only Son but gave Him freely as the ultimate gift, paying the price for our sins…a price we could never pay. When we give, we mirror that kind of extravagant love. That kind of amazing grace. That kind of sacrificial selflessness. Our generosity becomes a living testimony of the gospel we believe.
But let’s be honest: open-handed living can feel risky.
Sometimes, there’s less than we hoped for. Sometimes, we give and feel unseen. Sometimes, the fear of not having enough for ourselves makes us hesitate. But that’s where we need wisdom—God’s wisdom, not the world’s.
His wisdom reminds us that giving isn’t about impressing others—it’s about becoming more like Him. It’s about living like we trust Him to provide, even when the numbers don’t make sense. It’s about honoring Him with the first of what we have, not the leftovers. Because generosity isn’t just something we do—it’s a reflection of who He is in us.