“So I thought I should send these brothers ahead of me to make sure the gift you promised is ready. But I want it to be a willing gift, not one given grudgingly.” 2 Corinthians 9:5 NLT

 Yeah, But Are You Willing?

Here’s the bulk of a text conversation my daughter and I had recently at 4:17PM.

“Would you be willing to get food on your way home?”

“All depends.”

“What are you willing to get?”

“I’m guessing you want DQ?”

“Yeah, but are you willing?”

Pause …

“Grudgingly, yes.”

I could feel the internal struggle through my phone. “Thanks.”

She knows I don’t like to go through Dairy Queen’s (DQ) drive through, especially not on a Friday night after a very long week of work and life. However, she’d been through the long week too, so after the long pause I grudgingly answered yes.

Thankfully, the Lord worked on my heart and I had a plan going into the inevitably long wait. I would read the Hawaiian Pidgin Bible I keep in my car which always lifts my spirits. The words blurred before my tired eyes so I set it aside, but the one scripture I read wasMatthew 8:2-3.It made me think about all the things Jesus is willing to do for me, with no “grudgingly” in sight.

When I got to the window, the cashier was coughing. I asked how she was doing and with a surprised look on her face she leaned out the window with a big smile, said she was good, that I was the first one who had asked her, and it made her night! Grudging feeling gone!

How simple was it to help two young ladies have a good evening? Very simple. It became a willing gift of some time, money, kind words, and a little Royal Cheesecake Blizzard on my sweatshirt.

In today’s 2 Corinthians passage, Paul is talking about the Corinthian’s promised gift of money to the believers in Jerusalem. Verse 9:7 goes on to say, “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Are there things where God is asking you, “Are you willing?” Gifts you have that you’d be willing to share? Things you may not necessarily like to do or think you can do, but He’s calling you to nonetheless? It’s been my experience that if He calls you, He equips you.

Verse 9:8 (NLT) tells us, “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.”

Doesn’t life really boil down to what we are willing to share with others: time, money, love, kindness, the gospel, or whatever?

Father God, we’re so grateful You were willing to share Your Son. May our answer ever be yes when You say, ‘Yeah, but are you willing?’ Amen.