“But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.”
2 Corinthians 9:6-8

God loves a cheerful giver, and He has given us mothers ample opportunities to practice and get good at it! When little Susie walks into the kitchen and asks for a cup of water, we have the choice - pour her a glass (or plastic ;)) and hand it to her with a smile, or begrudgingly get up while making a fuss over having to get her something again.

We can give of our time with a cheerful heart. We can use our words to cheerfully give encouragement. We can offer smiles, something that seems so rare but that can be multiplied into great reward. We can share produce from our gardens, cut flowers from our flower beds, jars of homemade tomato sauce or salsa.

Certainly throughout history, cheerful givers have been valuable to society. And I would argue that right now, they are of much importance. The need for cheerful givers is great! As I’m sure you’ve noticed, most people are looking out only for his/her own interests. It throws people off when someone offers help, or gives something with no strings attached. What a light this can be in a dark place!

What’s more, when we have a habit of giving cheerfully, our children notice and begin to do the same things. This is surely a great gift from the Lord, to see our children walking in His ways!

We are often tempted to think, There is no way I can give; I have no means. But we must re-read the passage above. “God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.” God has given freely to us, and He will be sure to provide us the means to give freely to others. May we get to it!