“…It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Acts 20:35

It may seem strange to hear, coming from the CEO of the United Methodist Foundation, but the longer I serve in this role, the less I care about the monetary size of new accounts. And by “size” I mean both small and large.

What I care more about is the attitude of the giver. It’s not that difficult to write a check. It’s much more difficult to examine one’s attitude regarding the act of giving. Scripture is replete with examples of those who gave without hesitation and with a joyful heart. 

I’m reminded of this in Paul’s second letter to the church at Corinth. Despite our inclination to hold a rough attitude towards the Corinthian church, it was their generosity towards fellow believers in Jerusalem that created an operational relationship. One the Apostle was willing to explain by putting quill to parchment that reaches across time to us today.

There’s just something about a gift given with in joy. An attitude of generosity is expressed when the giver is more excited to give than the receiver is to receive. And we’ve all seen this in people who cross our path. There’s something uniquely different about them. They’re quick to forgive. They’re quick to overlook an offense. They do not keep a record of wrongs committed against them. They are special. And they reflect the generosity of God as demonstrated in the gift of his Son.  

We give not because God needs our money. We give because we are fashioned in the image of God, and God is a giver. In other words, it’s in our DNA. 

Recently, UMF conducted its annual Consecration Sunday Leader Training program. The training room was full of people hoping to learn how to talk about giving with a congregation. The program is robust with a detailed timetable to follow. But it can all be boiled down to a single question. “What is God asking you to do with the blessings he’s poured into your life?”  And isn’t that the seminal question?  The way we respond to that question can shape how we live going forward. It’s that critical.  

If you choose to give with a joyful heart, even with an attitude of hilarity, you’ll begin to live in a new light. Where possessions, as good as they are, are no longer held to so tightly. Where grudges give way to forgiveness.  Where contentment is no longer based on circumstances. It may seem strange to say, but giving with joyful heart doesn’t lead to a lesser life. It leads to an abundant life. 

And isn’t that a great way to live?