January 13th, 2026
by John Kelley
by John Kelley
I married up. I’m not kidding here. I really, really married up. My wife, Rhea, is beautiful, intelligent, and loves Jesus with her whole heart, but the thing that really attracted me to her is her giving heart. Rhea loves to give. She’s not reluctant in her generosity. If anything, she’s willing to give with no worry of how it will even affect her.
When I was single and a worship minister over 15 years ago, I would occasionally get a card in the mail with $20 and no name or return address. They always seemed to show up at just the right time, and when things were a little tight. I was always so grateful for this person’s kindness and that they would think about me. Money was tight back then, and that $20 was HUGE!
Fast forward about 3 or 4 years, and I was talking to Rhea about how I used to get these cards and how much they meant to me. I told her how much I wish I could’ve had someone to thank for being so kind at just the right times. It was in that moment that my wife just smiled sheepishly and let me know that she was that mystery person. She knew I’d never take her money, but she knew I could use it and didn’t want me to know it was her sending them.
That’s my wife, and I’m not the only person she’s done that for. Whenever there’s a baby shower, she’s buying everything for it. If someone is having a birthday, Rhea is ready to go all out. She loves to give gifts, and she loves giving to the Lord even more.
This past Sunday, she slid off the road on the way to the church because of all the snow. She ended up turning the car around and heading home, because the roads just weren’t safe for her to be driving. When she got home, she immediately worked up a plan for a Sunday School lesson for the kids. The topic? Tithing. The very thing she loves doing, she is instilling in our children. Like I said, I married up. She has taught our kids to love giving. In some ways, they’re becoming little Rhea’s when it comes to that. They love nothing more than to give back to God what He’s blessed them with.
Rhea will never toot her own horn, but I’m going to sound the trumpets for her. She’s a beautiful example of 2 Corinthians 9:7.
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:7
God loves it when we give in a joyous manner. Truthfully, God loves it when we follow his commands in general with a cheerful heart. Why does He specifically mention giving, though? I would dare say that cheerful givers have a clear understanding of where their blessings come from. Knowing that God is the ultimate provider gives us the ability to have open hands and not closed fists. When we live with the mentality that it’s all His anyway, we tend to be much more gracious with what we have.
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
Matthew 6:25–34
When we understand that God provides it all, and we have nothing to fear, we can live without anxiety and fear. Instead, we can move forward in God’s grace and love. We know that we can trust in God to sustain us. This is what He wants for us. He doesn’t want us to live life as a bundle of crazy over how we’re going to make it from day to day. When we can live with confidence, we can be more generous.
One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.
Proverbs 11:24–25
We are designed to worship, and the first form of worship ever was sacrificial giving to the Lord. Let’s keep that tradition going. Let’s live gracious lives that understand where our blessings come from. As the Doxology says, “Praise God from Whom all blessings flow.” Let’s give with thankfulness. Let’s give in faith. Let’s give with a cheerful heart.
When I was single and a worship minister over 15 years ago, I would occasionally get a card in the mail with $20 and no name or return address. They always seemed to show up at just the right time, and when things were a little tight. I was always so grateful for this person’s kindness and that they would think about me. Money was tight back then, and that $20 was HUGE!
Fast forward about 3 or 4 years, and I was talking to Rhea about how I used to get these cards and how much they meant to me. I told her how much I wish I could’ve had someone to thank for being so kind at just the right times. It was in that moment that my wife just smiled sheepishly and let me know that she was that mystery person. She knew I’d never take her money, but she knew I could use it and didn’t want me to know it was her sending them.
That’s my wife, and I’m not the only person she’s done that for. Whenever there’s a baby shower, she’s buying everything for it. If someone is having a birthday, Rhea is ready to go all out. She loves to give gifts, and she loves giving to the Lord even more.
This past Sunday, she slid off the road on the way to the church because of all the snow. She ended up turning the car around and heading home, because the roads just weren’t safe for her to be driving. When she got home, she immediately worked up a plan for a Sunday School lesson for the kids. The topic? Tithing. The very thing she loves doing, she is instilling in our children. Like I said, I married up. She has taught our kids to love giving. In some ways, they’re becoming little Rhea’s when it comes to that. They love nothing more than to give back to God what He’s blessed them with.
Rhea will never toot her own horn, but I’m going to sound the trumpets for her. She’s a beautiful example of 2 Corinthians 9:7.
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:7
God loves it when we give in a joyous manner. Truthfully, God loves it when we follow his commands in general with a cheerful heart. Why does He specifically mention giving, though? I would dare say that cheerful givers have a clear understanding of where their blessings come from. Knowing that God is the ultimate provider gives us the ability to have open hands and not closed fists. When we live with the mentality that it’s all His anyway, we tend to be much more gracious with what we have.
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
Matthew 6:25–34
When we understand that God provides it all, and we have nothing to fear, we can live without anxiety and fear. Instead, we can move forward in God’s grace and love. We know that we can trust in God to sustain us. This is what He wants for us. He doesn’t want us to live life as a bundle of crazy over how we’re going to make it from day to day. When we can live with confidence, we can be more generous.
One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.
Proverbs 11:24–25
We are designed to worship, and the first form of worship ever was sacrificial giving to the Lord. Let’s keep that tradition going. Let’s live gracious lives that understand where our blessings come from. As the Doxology says, “Praise God from Whom all blessings flow.” Let’s give with thankfulness. Let’s give in faith. Let’s give with a cheerful heart.
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