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Big-Hearted Giving

Our Daily Bread Ministries / Various Hosts
The Truth Network Radio
June 8, 2024 8:00 pm

Big-Hearted Giving

Our Daily Bread Ministries / Various Hosts

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June 8, 2024 8:00 pm

At the after-school Bible club where my wife Sue serves once a week, the kids were asked to donate money to help children in the war-torn country of Ukraine. About a week after Sue told our eleven-year-old granddaughter Maggie about the project, we got an envelope in the mail from her. It contained $3.45, along with a note: “This is all I have for the kids in Ukraine. I’ll send more later.”

Sue hadn’t suggested to Maggie that she should help, but perhaps the Spirit prompted her. And Maggie, who loves Jesus and seeks to live for Him, responded.

We can learn a lot as we think of this small gift from a big heart. It mirrors some instructions about giving provided by Paul in 2 Corinthians 9. First, the apostle suggested that we should sow “generously” (v. 6). A gift of “all I have” is certainly a generous one. Paul also wrote that our gifts should be given cheerfully as God leads and as we’re able, not because we’re “under compulsion” (v. 7). And he mentioned the value of “gifts to the poor” (v. 9) by quoting Psalm 112:9.

When an opportunity to give presents itself, let’s ask how God wants us to respond. When we’re generous and cheerful in directing our gifts to those in need as He leads us, we give in a way that reflects “thanksgiving to God” (2 Corinthians 9:11). That’s big-hearted giving.

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Thanks for joining me for today's encouragement from Our Daily Bread. Our reading titled Big-Hearted Giving was written by Dave Brannon. At the Afterschool Bible Club, where my wife Sue serves once a week, the kids were asked to donate money to help children in the war-torn country of Ukraine. About a week after, Sue told our 11-year-old granddaughter Maggie about the project. We got an envelope in the mail from her. It contained $3.45, along with a note. This is all I have for the kids in Ukraine.

I'll send more later. Sue hadn't suggested to Maggie that she should help, but perhaps the Spirit prompted her, and Maggie, who loves Jesus and seeks to live for Him, responded. We can learn a lot as we think of this small gift from a big heart. It mirrors some instructions about giving provided by Paul in 2 Corinthians 9. First, the apostles suggested that we should sow generously. A gift of all I have is certainly a generous one. Paul also wrote that our gifts should be given cheerfully as God leads and as we're able, not because we're under compulsion.

And he mentioned the value of gifts to the poor by quoting Psalm 112 verse 9. When an opportunity to give presents itself, let's ask how God wants us to respond. When we're generous and cheerful in directing our gifts to those in need as He leads us, we give in a way that will result in thanksgiving to God.

That's big-hearted giving. The scripture reading for today from Our Daily Bread is 2 Corinthians 9 verses 6-11. Remember this, whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written, they have freely scattered their gifts to the poor, their righteousness endures forever. Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. Will you pray with me? Dear Heavenly Father, please guide us to be the kind of generous giver that You want us to be, reflecting Your generous heart to those around us. Thank You, Lord. It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Whisper: medium.en / 2024-06-08 23:14:16 / 2024-06-08 23:15:44 / 1

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