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Last week we focussed on the Acts 20 account of the gift Paul had gathered to take to the needy of Jerusalem, and Paul's quotation from Jesus "It is more blessed to give than to receive." Our passage from II Corinthians concerns the collection of the same offering. Paul is writing in advance of his coming so that the Corinthians will be ready to render their part in this gift. Paul uses an agricultural illustration: "The one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully." (II Cor. 9:6) A farmer can't expect much of a harvest if he only plants a few seeds. One who sows many seeds has a much better chance to reap a good harvest! We know full well the truth of this: that if you want good results, you've got to put in a good effort. Then Paul continues "Each of you must give as you have made up your mind..." Paul is saying "God doesn't want impulse giving, spur of the moment giving. Really think and pray about this." Paul clarifies "not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (II Cor. 9:7) Paul doesn't say "Willingly or not, as a spur of the moment response, or whatever, fork it over!" Paul uses the offering being gathered as an opportunity to teach the believers in Corinth a spiritual lesson!

Dick Meyer was a young man who had just finished seminary and was looking for his first call to a church. Two associate pastoral positions were open to Dick. One was in Omaha. The Omaha church's head pastor told Dick "If you join our staff, I will expect you to tithe. I will expect you to give 10% of your income to the cause of Christ." The other church was in Seattle. It paid a little less, but the Seattle congregation didn't say Dick would have to tithe. Dick did the math, and realized that if he took the Seattle church offer, even though it paid a little less, since he wouldn't have to tithe, he'd come out ahead financially. Dick was leaning towards going to Seattle. He had no money in his savings account, a two year old child, and a wife to support.

But Dick's wife Trudy had a different viewpoint. Trudy was a generous spirit, and she asked "Does the Bible mention tithing?" "Well, yes," Dick replied. "Well, we might as well begin now rather than later." Paul wrote to the Corinthians "The Lord loves a cheerful giver!" God may appreciate one who gives grudgingly, but God LOVES a cheerful giver! Someone once divided givers into three categories: flints, sponges and honeycombs. Flints need to be struck by some object to give. When struck, they produce sparks and chips! For flints, their least favorite times of the year are stewardship season and tax season. Flints will give, but they give grudgingly, resentfully, angrily. Flints don't tend to send in their pledges right away. They wait to be called. Then they can have an opportunity to complain about this or that!

Sponges, needless to say, are a whole lot softer than flints. You don't have to take a hammer or a pick axe to a sponge. You get a lot more from a sponge if you apply gradual, firm, consistent pressure. You squeeze a sponge. Sometimes you get the most out of a sponge if two hands, or two persons, apply the pressure. When two daughters, or a mother and a daughter, come to a father and begin to apply gentle, persistent pressure, sponge like Dads are certain to give the most! Sponges don't give naturally. You have to lean on them and apply some pressure to get a sponge to give!

Then there are honeycomb givers. Honeycombs just give and give. Honeycombs overflow with sweetness. As Paul wrote the Corinthians, "Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." A reluctant giver is like a flint: you have to strike a flint to get some sparks. Sponges only give under the compulsion of a squeeze. Cheerful givers are like a honeycomb!

Paul reminded the Corinthians that God is the ultimate honeycomb giver! "God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance....He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor, his righteousness endures forever. He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us..." (II Cor. 9: 8-11)

Cheerful givers never stop with money. They give their time, their listening ears, their compassion, their joy, their fellowship. I'll never forget the funeral service I had for a wealthy elderly lady, whose life focussed on herself. Only two persons came to her service, and the two who came did so only out of the generosity of their hearts. This woman had a lot of money, but she was convinced others were only interested in her money, so she rebuffed friendship and fellowship with others. I can think of the funerals of others I've had where the calling line extended out the door. The person that died may not have had an abundance of money, but they had a wealth of friends and people that cared for them. Why do some people have an abundance of loving relationships, and others very few? The reasons may be complex, and circumstances differ. But one thing that is commonly said of those who have an abundance of friends "He'd do anything for you, and never expect a thing in return." In other words, cheerful givers!

Social psychologists (May 24, 1993 Newsweek article by David Gelman and Daniel Pedersen entitled "Counting Your Blessings", p. 57) have concluded that it's not success, youth, good looks etc. that really make a person happy. "The clear winner is relationships. Close ones." "Supportive, intimate connections with other people seem tremendously important." Religious faith is also a common denominator, not surprisingly. Believers in Christ can share a strong, loving relationship with God and with other believers.

Our revised mission statement: "Come, enter into the joy of the Master", reminds us that joy, the Christian life of giving and God belong in the same sentence! God is a joyous God, and if we're not living with joy in our lives, could it be that we're too far away from God? Since Jesus died for our sins and invites us into a relationship with Him, we have great reason for joy! Not the joy of a flint, a skinflint, or a sponge. The joy of a honeycomb--sweetness that surrounds and sustains us! The sweetness and joy emanating from cheerful believers attracts others. Vinegar doesn't have much drawing power!

One honeycomb giver Pam and I were blessed to know is LeRoy Wilson. LeRoy was the kind of person we always looked forward to seeing on Sunday mornings at Greenville's First Presbyterian Church. LeRoy was cheerful, upbeat, and loved to root for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, his home state team. LeRoy had heart surgery in 1983, and began to walk a lot to aid his recuperation. When the community CROP walk was getting organized, it was mainly jr hi and high school aged kids that would walk. LeRoy decided he'd walk with his faithful dog, Sam, and ask people to pledge a contribution towards Sam. The first year, LeRoy and Sam raised $500 to fight hunger. The next year, it was $1,700. Then LeRoy was bothered by painful blockages in his legs. But he still walked. LeRoy brought in $2,404.20 in pledges. LeRoy told me that he's just grateful to God for the second chance at life he had after his surgery, and raising money to fight world hunger is one way he can show God his gratitude. The Lord loves a cheerful giver, and LeRoy shared his cheer and giving with others not just at crop walk time, but throughout the year!

Paul shared an agricultural metaphor, reminding the Corinthians that if they want an abundant harvest they must plant liberally. In II Cor. 9:11, Paul wrote "You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us." John Calvin writes "Whatever we give away will turn out to our advantage....Such liberality will deprive you of nothing, but God will make it return to you in much greater abundance." The harvest Paul writes of includes eternal life, but the joyous returns often begin in this life. The Lord loves a cheerful giver. And cheerful givers know the reason for their cheerfulness is the Christ who first gave His life for us!