You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 2 Corinthians 9:11
Of all the Biblical books, when I read Paul’s letters to the Corinthians, I feel as though he is writing to a culture that I recognize, a world that I know. It’s truly not claiming too much to say that 1 and 2 Corinthians are Paul’s most relevant letters to our contemporary culture. Corinth was a major center of commerce and trade. It was multiethnic, pluralistic, and technologically advanced. And it was very, very rich.
In our modern culture, we talk a lot about money. We spend our days earning it and our evenings dreaming about how to spend it. It is often the driving force behind our career paths and major life decisions. And we believe without questioning that the accumulation of wealth is directly linked to our happiness and joy.
Yet, what if this is an American value and not a Biblical value? Is it possible that we’ve too quickly accepted a cultural perspective on wealth and money without first stopping to see if it aligns with God’s will for our lives? As I read Paul’s words to the Corinthians, I sense that we, like the church in Corinth, might need to have our perspective reframed in light of the generous love of God shown in Jesus Christ.
