“The wonder of the human person cannot be reduced to a list of dos and don’ts.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – November 8, 2025
Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 2 Corinthians 9:6-8, NLT
I often turn to the Bible for rules, a clear, black-and-white declaration on what I can or can’t do to ensure my life is correctly aligned and headed in the right direction. And while this clarity is sometimes found, more often than not, I run into passages like 2 Corinthians 9:7, “You must each decide in your heart how much to give.” This is the opposite of a decree! Instead, we find an invitation to freedom that requires discernment and a living relationship with the Lord.
As my pastor often says, “Every person is unique, free, and unrepeatable. There has never been another ‘you!’” This is both a liberating and terrifying reality! The wonder of the human person cannot be reduced to a list of dos and don’ts. The invitation before each of us is one of living, abiding communion. We study the Scriptures and the past, yes, learning the truth of our faith and the powerful examples of those who have gone before us. Yet we must still seek to apply timeless truths to the particular details of our lived experience.
It would have been much easier for St. Paul to say, “Every person should give X amount, without exception.” Instead, he honors the fact that we are each image bearers who live in communion with our Lord. Thus, “decide in your heart” what is right to give so that the gift of your very life is an outpouring of joy, not a cold-hearted drudgery.
Lastly, let us not forget that “deciding in our hearts” is not the same thing as “following your heart.” Our hearts are deceptive and easily lead us astray. True Christian discernment is rooted in the clarity of who God is and who we are in Christ. Paul couples his invitation to freedom and discernment with a reminder that “God will generously provide all you need.” Our Lord loves and cares for his children, so they are set free to discover the joyful freedom of discernment.
Prayer
Father, give us the courage to do the hard work of discernment, that we may know your life and love in the unique details of our daily lives, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Application
Where have you been tempted to look for a rule, when instead what’s needed is the harder, but far more rewarding, work of discernment in relationship?
Related Reading
Deuteronomy 30:19–20; Psalm 37:4–5; John 15:4–5
Worship Resource
The Belonging Co feat. Cody Carnes: Nothing Else
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