Kingdom Revelator Australia – Issue 108
2 Corinthians 9:7 teaches us, “Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not regretfully or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” Yet we can often find it so difficult to share with those around us. Rather than thinking of what we can offer to others, our heart and mind are more focussed on what we can receive. Giving is difficult, especially when we know we won’t be receiving anything in return. It makes me wonder if we reflect Judas Iscariot in our outlook in life.
What made Judas betray his master? Thirty silver coins was not a huge amount in those days. Then why, after receiving the body and blood of Christ, did he go out and sell his soul to the enemy? All the other disciples were transformed after spending a few years with Jesus, but Judas couldn’t be redeemed. The love and compassion he received from Jesus did not reform his heart. He was a thief and corrupt by nature. “He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it” (John 12:6). His yearning to always satisfying his needs made him a traitor.
Let’s not walk in the path of the traitor. If we focus on what we can ‘give’ rather than what we can ‘get’, then we truly will be behaving like God’s children. If we give with trust (the widow’s mite), unconditionally (feeding the crowds), with compassion (the good Samaritan), with devotion (Zacchaeus), then God will reward us in manifold ways. So be a cheerful giver.