Take a moment to read 2 Corinthians 8:1-15 before reading the devotional below.
People get a bit touchy when you start talking about money. If you read today’s passage too quickly, you might think that Paul is asking for money for his own ministry. He spends a lot of time encouraging them to give, and in America we are used to that coming from greedy televangelists with private jets and mansions.
Pay attention to verses 1 and 2 and then verse 14. Paul mentions the church in Macedonia, and how much they have given. He also mentions that right now they are very poor. In the above map of ancient Greece, you can see Corinth and then the region to the north is Macedonia. It sounds like Paul is saying how much Macedonia gave to him, and how much the Corinthians should continue giving to him. But verse 14 helps us understand his real point: “Right now you have plenty and can help those who are in need. Later, they will have plenty and can share with you when you need it. In this way, things will be equal.” Paul is advocating for the Corinthian church to give to the church in Macedonia just as the Macedonian church has been generous in the past.
Here’s your freedom for today:
Generosity and equality are at the heart of God’s economic system.
If you live in America, you know how capitalism works. It sounds like a system of freedom — we even call it the “free market” — but it is anything but free. Oppression, greed, and poverty in the midst of wealth are rampant problems with a capitalist system. Socialism spreads more of the wealth around, but bureaucracy is a problematic issue. Communism seems to be an equalizing system, but it puts all the power in the hands of a few who often have evil and oppression in mind. No earthly system can ever compare to God’s system of generosity and equality. Without greed, a whole lot of freedom is possible. What could you do to freely give to those in need today? How could you participate in supernatural economics?