Spanish 
Thoughts from DA Schnabel
2 Corinthians 9:6-8
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.
Paul lays out a spiritual equation for us, showing the outcome for those who are generous versus those who are sparing in their giving. We “give as we purpose in our heart”, and this must be done cheerfully rather than solely out of duty. But how do we do that?
First, we must remember that all is a gift out of our heavenly Father’s hand. The Lord reminded the Israelites to fashion within their customs a direct remembrance of how they inherited the land that they possessed. Sometimes we don’t take the time to accurately research and reflect on the many things that God has done for us that otherwise could easily elude us. Some might take their natural talents for granted; but where did that talent come from and how was it refined over time? Perhaps our health? We see many who struggle, and we could have found ourselves in similar circumstances. It could even be that we think that our hard work and perseverance just translated into where we find ourselves today. But the Lord is the one who preappointed the time that we live in and the place that we are in (Acts 17:26). Obviously if we were growing up in the Middle Ages as a peasant, there would be no upward mobility, no matter your work ethic. Really there is no one who pulls themselves up with their own bootstraps. All is grace, truly.
Second, giving cheerfully or effortlessly has all to do with your heart. Matthew 6:21 clearly states this: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” At our recent Synod we had a sister speak to us and use the example of a baseball game that she went to with others and, although not a fan, was able to enjoy herself with the group around her. On one hand, I’m sure that she looked at the prices of things and thought perhaps this was all just a bit crazy. But a true baseball fan is in “heaven” and isn’t thinking about prices but instead having a hot dog and enjoying the experience. In fact, they don’t really worry about the prices, but they do have to worry about spending too much! Where your heart is, that’s your treasure, and investing in that activity is never, ever a concern.
Last, our Lord and Savior has made the great sacrifice, a costly one as our Chief Apostle pointed out in Buffalo. That sacrifice He made willingly for us, so that we have the opportunity to be together eternally and serve and reign with Him. His example is not one of parsing but giving all because of a love “that will not let us go”. He used His life as a blessing for all mankind. May our giving reflect who truly is our Lord and Master as we return back to God what He has given us so that it can be a blessing for others.
Let us give and sacrifice in the season of Thanksgiving with a cheerful heart by seeing that all is grace, by positioning our heart that He is always our treasure and revitalizing ourselves with the realization of His eternal love for us. He will then grant us blessing and “make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.”