Paul's words reveal that God cares less about the size of our gifts than the spirit behind them. The Greek word for "cheerful" is *hilaros*, from which we get "hilarious"—suggesting a joy so exuberant it bubbles over into laughter. God delights in givers who find genuine pleasure in their generosity, who give not from guilt or obligation but from hearts overflowing with thanksgiving for all they have received. This cheerfulness transforms both giver and receiver, turning the act of giving into worship and celebration rather than mere duty.

During the terrible plagues that swept through the Roman Empire in the third century, Christians became famous for their extraordinary response. The Plague of Cyprian (around 250 AD) killed thousands daily in Alexandria, Egypt. When people showed first symptoms, they were thrown into the streets, where the dead and dying lay in piles. Bishop Dionysius of Alexandria recorded that pagans "pushed the sufferers away and fled from their dearest, throwing them into the roads before they were dead and treated unburied corpses as dirt." But Christians responded differently. Dionysius wrote: "Most of our brother-Christians showed unbounded love and loyalty, never sparing themselves and thinking only of one another. Heedless of danger, they took charge of the sick, attending to their every need and ministering to them in Christ, and with them departed this life serenely happy." Many Christians died caring for the sick—both fellow believers and pagan neighbors who had persecuted them. Yet they did so cheerfully, even joyfully, because they saw it as serving Christ Himself. Their hilarious generosity in the face of death became a powerful witness that drew thousands to faith.

Prayer: Gracious God, fill our hearts with hilarious joy in giving. Teach us to give not from duty but from delight, not from abundance but from faith. May our cheerfulness in generosity reflect the joy You have in giving to us. Amen.