II Cor. 9:6-8 Remember this---a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each make up your own mind as to how much you should give. Don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves the person who gives cheerfully. And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.
So often we put money value on our giving; I think that is a mistake. There are so many different ways we can give to the Lord: our time, energy, giftedness, knowledge, testimony, resources, love, and prayers are some of the things that come to my mind. No matter what we give, if it is not done cheerfully it's not pleasing to the Lord. The Lord can do without our giving. He is far more interested in our motives than He is our giving. The motivation behind cheerful giving is our love for the Lord. If we truly love the Lord, we will not begrudge opportunities He leads us into to give.
The more we give, the better the returns. We cannot expect the Lord to bless us abundantly if we don't do our part and give of ourselves abundantly. It's not a trade off. The Lord does not bless us because of how much we give; He blesses us because we give as an act of worship and adoration.
The Lord doesn't ask us to give what we can't give, but he does ask us to give with a right heart. Every one's ability to give varies, but the motive for all should be the same. We give not for the sake of being seen, but for the sake of our love for the Lord. The measurement of a gift's worth is always the motivation behind the giving. The more love for the Lord we have, the greater the value of the gift---no matter the size of the gift.
Love the Lord passionately, give what you can, and see what the Lord does with your gift. The blessings are rooted in the joy of giving. It is enough to know that we give from love to the One who first loved us. We are truly blessed to be favored by the Lord to be His children.
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