2 Cor. 9:7 "You must each make up your own mind as to how much you should give. Don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves the person who gives cheerfully."
Paul is heading up a fundraising effort for the church in Jerusalem. In this letter, he is talking with the Corinthian believers about how they can help. He encourages them to give willingly and cheerfully. He does not want gifts to be given out of guilt, shame or peer pressure. Many churches do respond and give cheerfully to the effort in Jerusalem.
It might be easy to give big to God with our money, our gifts, and our time, but if our heart is not in it we're fooling ourselves. God knows us inside and out. He knows our thoughts and our motives. He wants us to be all in to make ripples but only if our heart is involved. So I must ask myself, where is my heart? Am I all in to make ripples or am I going to fake it and give reluctantly? God wants me to be honest with him and I intend to do that.
Dear Jesus, help me be real with you and help my heart be in the right place to give cheerfully. Amen.
