Welcome to Today's Our Daily Bread.

I'm Sheridan Voizzi and I've titled our reading today,

Generosity and Joy.

Researchers tell us there's a link between generosity and joy.

Those who give their money and time to others are happier than those who don't.

This has led one psychologist to conclude, let's stop thinking of giving as a moral obligation,

and start thinking of it as a source of pleasure.

While giving can make us happy, I question whether happiness should be the goal of our giving. If we're only

generous to people or causes that make us feel good, what about the more difficult or mundane

needs requiring our support? Scripture links generosity with joy too, but on a different basis.

After giving his own wealth toward building the temple in First

Chronicles chapter 29, King David invited the Israelites to also donate. The people responded generously,

giving gold, silver and precious stones joyously. But notice what their joy was over. The people

rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders,

for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord.

Scripture never tells us to give because it will make us happy,

but to give willingly and wholeheartedly to meet a need.

Joy often follows.

As missionaries know, it can be easier to raise funds for evangelism than for administration

because believers in Jesus like the feeling of funding frontline work.

Let's be generous toward other needs as well.

After all, Jesus freely gave himself to meet our needs.

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