Better Together预览

DAY FOUR: GIVE THE DOLL AWAY

The best gifts come from a willing heart. Recently I had the opportunity to take my children to shop for some gifts for Christmas. The key was we were shopping for others. We explained the ground rules, the process, and told our children, “buy what you would want for yourself.” Sounds simple right? To a 4-year-old girl who desperately wanted a doll that eats and goes poo, the thought of buying that same doll for someone else, someone she didn’t know, and would never meet was crushing her soul. It took us nearly an hour of standing in the doll aisle to get up the courage, understanding and trust to take what she wanted so desperately for herself and to purchase it for someone else. Unfortunately, it didn’t end there, we had to keep the doll for a week until we could donate it. I’ll never forget the image of my little girl holding on to the doll, standing in front of the collection bin, deciding (reluctantly) to give it away.

I don’t know about you, but I have been in that position more than once. Standing ready but reluctant. Reluctant with our offerings, hoping right before we sign the check, or click the GIVE link, that He will part heaven and say “just kidding, go ahead and keep that for those new shoes you wanted or that vacation you’ve been dreaming about, baby girl, you keep that doll for yourself.” 

The Bible says that tithe is God’s, but offerings? Offerings are meant to be free willing, gifts given out of the abundance of your heart. Offerings are gifts given because you want to, not because you have to. God doesn’t want our offering if our heart isn’t in it. 

The early church was so moved by the community of faith they were in, that they went to what many of us would consider extreme measures. People started giving everything they had, they were even selling property and donating it to the church. Two of these donors are highlighted, in the book of Acts, one who gave willingly and his gift was accepted in the same manner it was given, and the other reluctantly, under pretense, and it was rejected by God and did not end well for them. I think it is one of the craziest stories in the Bible!  

God wants to partner with us, to involve us in His plans for our church, for our neighborhood, for our city, and for our world. God wants to stir our hearts, for the things that stir His heart. It is easy to say we need to want to give, and we need to be cheerful givers, but for many of us, that is a process. My daughter has gotten better in the years since the doll incident, in fact, she has grown to trust the process and now looks forward to getting to buy a special gift for someone else. God’s plan is for us to experience the fullness that generosity brings to our hearts and lives. Let’s grow in our giving, and give because we want to, not reluctantly, withholding or wishing we could keep it for ourselves! God loves a cheerful giver, a giver whose heart is in their giving.

Jesus says it is more blessed to give than receive, think today of a moment when you experienced the pure joy of generosity.