“You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.” (v.11)
It seems that “getting rich” is the goal of many today. It is common for college students to search for a major that will result in a high-paying job. Get rich quick “schemes” abound in the world, and even the “prosperity gospel” wrongly emphasizes serving God so that He will make you healthy and wealthy. Yet, the biblical pattern is much different. God doesn’t always choose to enrich us, but when He does, it is for a purpose; that purpose is never to accumulate wealth but for us to be a conduit to bless others. As Paul puts it, “You are enriched in every way to be generous in every way.” God gives to you so you can give to others. He gives more and more to those He knows will be generous in every way for His glory. He is looking for channels that carry blessings from Him to others around the world instead of cesspools that accumulate everything for themselves.
Several things happen when you use God’s resources to generously bless others (see vs. 12-13). First, your generosity supplies the needs of the saints. Paul was writing these words to the Corinthian church so that they would follow through on their promise to help poor believers in Jerusalem. When you freely give, what God has given you, God uses that to help those in need. Second, your generosity produces thanksgiving to God. People see God at work through you, and this causes them to be thankful to Him. Finally, your gospel-based giving glorifies God. When people see you being obedient in generosity and acting as a faithful steward of God’s resources, this magnifies the one who is the owner of all things, the supplier of all things, and the ultimate reason we give. We love because He loves us; we give because He first gave to us. “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Cor. 9:15)
