Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Friday, August 9, 2013 Read – 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 If Paul may have slipped a bit in yesterday’s writing he is fully back on track in today’s reading. God loves a cheerful giver! No more important stewardship words have ever been written. Stewardship is a matter of grateful response to God’s abundant goodness. Certainly Paul knew that better than most. He is a great teacher for us. One might wonder why it was so important to Paul to bring this offering to the church at Jerusalem. First of all he was fulfilling what he understood to be the request made of him at the Jerusalem conference where the church made the bold decision that circumcision was not required of Gentiles for them to become Christians. As Paul says in Galatians, all they asked of him was to “remember the poor” (Galatians 2:10) – and Paul did not forget. But there is something even deeper working for Paul – generous stewardship brings thanksgiving and glory to God! Paul wanted the Corinthians to be good stewards so that God might be glorified in their lives and in the process they might come to know the deep joy of giving. Paul wants that for all of us too.