"Remember this: The person who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the person who sows generously will also reap generously.  Each of you must give what you have decided in your heart, not with regret or under compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Co 9:6-7

This is the advice given by the apostle Paul twenty centuries ago.  We learn a portion of this advice as we live in this world; the more we care about others, the more we are likely to be cared about. The harder we work, the more we earn. Plant more, reap more.

But there's more to Paul's advice. We often think of giving as surrendering something to someone else, who gains by our gift. But what Paul is saying is that we benefit from the very act of giving. It's not a 'zero sum game'. When we come to that truth, we understand that the act of giving is, in itself, a gift to ourselves. We derive joy from sharing our bounty.

The word 'cheerful' in the passage quoted above was really 'hilaro' in the original Greek. Paul meant that we should find and nurture that special place in our hearts that gives us joy when we give. We all have it - you remember giving the bouquet, bought at a price you could hardly afford, to a high school sweetheart, or seeing the delight in your son's eyes at his discovery of the slot racing set under the tree on Christmas. The thought of the cost just melts away as we consider the important part - the joy of giving.

So - find the 'hilaro' in your life. Share with us the joy of being a 'Hilarious Giver' - one who finds and accepts the gift from God that results from selfless giving.