2 Corinthians 9:6–9 (NRSV): 6 The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. 9 As it is written, “He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”

There’s no doubt Paul had high expectations of the Corinthian Christians, that they would make a generous donation to the saints in Jerusalem who were struggling. But it’s also clear their participation was elective. They weren’t going to be in trouble or scorned by God if they chose not to give, but there was so much blessing in store for them if they did. God wanted to pour out blessings on the people if they would trust him.

Trust can be a hard thing for me, even though God has demonstrated his faithfulness to me over and over again. I get the instinct to conserve, to protect, to control because that’s often my first impulse too. So today I’m praying for the Lord to soften my heart, to give me grace to place myself – again – in the hands of the One who created and sustains me one day at a time. Amen.