Scripture Sunday: Generous like Christ

2 Corinthians 8:7-15
7 Now as you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you--so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking. 8 I do not say this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love against the earnestness of others. 9 For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. 10 And in this matter I am giving my advice: it is appropriate for you who began last year not only to do something but even to desire to do something-- 11 now finish doing it, so that your eagerness may be matched by completing it according to your means. 12 For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has--not according to what one does not have. 13 I do not mean that there should be relief for others and pressure on you, but it is a question of a fair balance between 14 your present abundance and their need, so that their abundance may be for your need, in order that there may be a fair balance. 15 As it is written, "The one who had much did not have too much, and the one who had little did not have too little."


Wisdom of Solomon 1:13-15, 2:23-24 
1:13 God did not make death, and he does not delight in the death of the living. 14 For he created all things so that they might exist; the generative forces of the world are wholesome, and there is no destructive poison in them, and the dominion of Hades is not on earth. 15 For righteousness is immortal.
2:23 For God created us for incorruption, and made us in the image of his own eternity, 24 but through the devil's envy death entered the world, and those who belong to his company experience it.​

There are diverse Christian perspectives on the fundamental questions of life, Creation, and resources. Some adhere to a ‘scarcity’ mindset, believing that resources are limited and must be used wisely. Others embrace an ‘abundance’ mindset, trusting in a plentiful provision. Similarly, some believe that God, being completely sovereign, ordains all things, while others think that God is all-powerful but allows beings to have agency and creativity.

​While our passage does not answer these questions specifically, it offers insight into how we should live our lives in relation to these views. Paul urges the Corinthians to be generous, just as the Lord Jesus was generous. He does not ask the poor to become poorer by giving up every penny but encourages those with abundance to share so that there may be enough for everyone. Paul references the story of manna in the desert after the Exodus, where God provided daily food from heaven, ensuring enough for everyone to live. He emphasizes that those with more should imitate Christ by sharing with those who have none, ensuring no one is in need.
It is noteworthy that in almost all places in the letters of the New Testament where the lordship of Christ is discussed, it serves to provide an ethic of behavior. Because Christ, who was rich, became poor for our sake so that we might become rich, those who are rich should give to those who are poor. Today it could look like having a garden to provide fresh vegetables to those who cannot afford them, advocating for clean water, or helping in disaster relief.
The Wisdom of Solomon is part of the apocryphal books written between the Old Testament and New Testament. It is considered canonical in some traditions but not in others. Even if one does not view it as canonical, it can be helpful to think of it as commentary on the Old Testament or the stories that occurred between the return from exile and the coming of Jesus. In this passage, the author contemplates death and envy, finding them so terrible that they conclude there is no way God could have created them.
The author believes that God made Creation good and that the devil brought Hades, evil, death, and envy. They seem to conclude that God created the world with an abundance framework, but the works of the devil have caused this to change.
Whether one agrees with the author of Wisdom of Solomon or not, they raise a good point. God intended for Creation to be a place of abundance, mutual generosity, and life. However, the works of darkness—envy, covetousness, and greed—can create a scarcity of resources.
So, whether you view the world with a mindset of scarcity or abundance, if you are rich, give to the needy and do not let your right hand know what your left hand is doing. Whether you think God created death or the devil did, live in a way that brings life into the world. For this is what our friend Jesus did, and when we follow Him, we walk in life for all of Creation.

Caroline Hiler is a Seminary Intern at Creation Justice Ministries.