In several of Paul's letters he makes references to a collection he is organizing for poor Christians in Jerusalem. This was a big deal for Paul. As he says in Romans, "If the Gentiles have shared in the Jews' spiritual blessings [through faith in Jesus the Messiah], they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings" (Rom. 15:27).

Most of the money was collected from the churches in Greece and Asia Minor (now Turkey). And Paul was organizing the collection himself in his journeys to the various churches. In his letters to the church at Corinth we learn most about the offering, as well as about what giving means in the Christian life.

In the last chapter of 1 Corinthians Paul talks about the collection: "On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up . . . Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem" (1 Cor. 16:2-3). Already we learn the principle of proportionality---"in keeping with your income."

Then in 2 Corinthians Paul spends a considerable amount of time discussing what is now the second collection (8:10) and the principles behind it.

The first principle is sharing. "Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality" (2 Cor. 8:14). When we have money or goods and someone else does not, God calls us to share from our abundance to relieve the other person's need. This principle is repeated often (e.g., James 2:14-18; 1 John 3:17)

In giving we follow the pattern of Christ's life in that "though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich" (2 Cor. 8:9).

The giver is blessed. "Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously" (9:6). This does not mean that we're to give in order to receive more, as a kind of payment for our generosity, but that all kinds of blessings, material and spiritual, come from generosity. "God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work" (9:8, emphasis added).

True generosity is marked by joy and cheerfulness and is not offered grudgingly or under compulsion. "God loves a cheerful giver" (9:7).

Behind all this is an even larger biblical principle: we are not ultimately owners but stewards of whatever we have. "The earth is the Lord's and everything in it" (Psalm 24:1). We do not own the earth but are appointed its stewards, to care for it and protect its beauty and abundance for future generations. In our giving we do not give what we own but what God has given us.

If God owns everything, then if we refuse to share with those in need it's more than greed, it's stealing. God speaks through Malachi about the people's refusal to pay their tithe (Mal. 3:6-10). In the same way, if we make a mess of the world God made and owns, we are like guests in someone else's house who trash the place.