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True or False: You should give until it hurts.
Why God loves a cheerful giver
Giving is a journey… and it can look different for everyone.
Yet, as God calls us to give, the way we understand giving is often misunderstood in the Christian church.
Tithing and generosity are deeply spiritual practices that aren’t a matter of the bank account, but instead, a matter of the heart. With scripture guiding the way we teach about giving, (Philippians 4:17 is a prime example), we’re here to break another common misconception around generosity:
You shouldn’t give until it hurts… You should give until it’s joyful.
Separating cultural beliefs from biblical teachings
You may have heard the phrase “give until it hurts” and while I think we know what leaders mean when they say this, the biblical principal is about joy, not pain.
In reality, 2 Corinthians 9 says, “God loves a cheerful giver.”
But what exactly does that mean? And how can you reframe giving for your church leaders and congregation?
The meaning behind hilarious giving (and how to get there)
Biblical scholars will tell you the word “cheerful” in this context is rooted in the word “hilarious”.
And in terms of giving — this means exactly what you think it does.
God is calling us to give to the point that we can laugh about how much joy the act of giving brings us.
Money has more spiritual power in the lives of many than they’re willing to admit. When you can give cheerfully in the name of God, money loses that power and pushes you further along your spiritual path. When you can move past painful giving into cheerful giving, you are rewarded with immense freedom from the power and control of money that many don’t get to experience.
Find your own freedom and help your congregation do the same with these tips, starting today.
Action Items:
1. Understand pain may still be part of the process
Any time you push aside a personal desire and commit to God’s desire, there will likely be an element of pain. The sinful nature of humans often requires people to push through discomfort to reach the final destination, in this case, true, cheerful giving.
Make sure to embrace empathy and understanding that painful giving might be a stepping stone in the giving journey for some Christ followers. But, adapt your language to ensure your congregation that the struggle is temporary and will lead them to the hilarious nature of giving God intended his people to benefit from and enjoy.
2. Avoid self-righteousness
Once you’ve broken free from the control of money and entered into a cheerful giving stage, it can be easy to fall into self-righteousness. But it’s important to avoid this self-righteousness when helping people who may be earlier in their giving journey than you.
Think about the giving journey like climbing a mountain: The higher you get, the better the view.
As a leader in your church, it’s your job to encourage those struggling in earlier journey stages and share the knowledge and experiences you have at the later stage you’re in. Shed light and hope for those still in the painful stages, and offer guidance and cheer them on to help them take the next step.
3. Correct the American habit of reverse living
The American culture embraces a financial system that is in direct opposition to what’s encouraged in the Bible. Americans fall into the habit of Spend, Save, Give. But, God encourages followers to Give, Save, Spend.
In this culture, many are spending more than they make, ultimately sacrificing savings and left with nothing to give. When you can provide tangible financial guidance for your congregation to break free of the American financial habit and get back on the right track towards giving, saving, and then spending, you create an easier path for people to give (without shame or guilt).
Your lessons on generosity will not have any impact if your congregation is stuck in a loop of damaging money habits. Create and generously share financial learning resources — for example, Financial Peace University is one you can suggest — and check in on progress.