Open Handedনমুনা

Have you ever seen that famous sketch on Saturday Night Live about Debbie Downer? It’s always set up around the same idea: A group of friends gets together to do something fun or exciting, but no matter what, this woman—this Debbie Downer—can’t seem to find any good in what’s going on. Over and over, she lists all the reasons to be sad or discouraged, all the while letting her droopy facial expressions really drive the point home. While she’s certainly funny, she’s most definitely not what anyone would describe as “cheerful.” It’s a hilarious skit for television, but if we’re honest, we’d all have to admit there’s a little bit of Debbie Downer in all of us. This may be especially true when we give! Sometimes, generosity comes easy and we give cheerfully. But other times, it feels like a major challenge and we approach giving a bit like Debbie Downer on the inside. As Paul pointed out here, it’s our hearts—cheerful hearts to give what God has called us to—that God loves. If we give with joy and generosity, we can trust that God will love our hearts, our efforts, and our open hands.

This week, work to memorize this verse. Whether you find giving generously easy or difficult at times, use this verse to guide you toward giving with a cheerful heart.