Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7 NIV Bible
This passages brings up so many different things, that I may need to address. I was just explaining to younger relatives, about how giving to others for the Lord, shouldn't be just what we don't want or need, of: money, items, food, etc. I had to admit to them, that I have been a reluctant giver, and although I hated to admit that to these young relatives, I didn't want them to grow up being selfish like I was.
Years ago, I went as a chaperone on a mission trip to Juarez, Mexico while the youth group helped build cinder block houses for the people, who live there. Many had been living in houses made from old pallets and cardboard, with lights strung from house to house, like Christmas lights. The only water they had for their families bathing, cooking, and cleaning was stored in a big round garbage type of barrel outside their home, and that was only delivered to them twice a week. One of the older youth members came to me and said that they had decided to go through their suitcases and find all that they could leave for the people in the community, because they had so little. I thought it was a good idea, and I went through my suitcase, trying to determine what I could leave there. I made a pile of things that I didn't mind parting with, and I had a pile of things that I really like, and I didn't want to part with them. Then, that night, as I lay in my bunk, being prayerful about the day, the Lord God had this on my heart. Just like the poor widow who contributed her 2 mites, which was all the money she had, in contrast to the rich men contributing, what looked like a lot of money, but was from their excess money, I was doing the same. I was only willing to give what I didn't want as much, but not willing to give what I really valued. That next morning, I felt led to put it all in the bag to leave there. How could I have be so self-absorbed when so many, had so very little?
Then, I also remember how the Lord God had it on my heart to start a new blog, and I asked Him if He was sure that He wanted me to do it? I figured there were other people with more time on their hands that would do a much better job than I would, by posing on an additional blog. But the Lord didn't turn a blind eye when I told Him that I give up, and if He ever wanted me to be thin, He'd have to do it, because I couldn't! He healed me, even knowing how reluctant I would be to donate my clothes and items. He healed me, even knowing that I would ask Him if He didn't think someone else would do a better job. I'm ashamed that I have drug my feet, on doing what the Lord God wants from me, and I need to be more prayerful about doing His will and not mine!
