Day 21

Day 21:  Tithing and Giving

       I wonder how many readers I will lose just with the title of my post?  Tithing is a difficult topic for many, at one time myself included.  In an earlier blog post I talked about getting up and walking out of churches that asked/begged for money.  It was very uncomfortable to be in a church visiting and hear about the need for money.  Today I want to talk about the heart of tithing, not the duty or guilt.

       Money is a major topic in the Bible. It is mentioned over 800 times. We are called to give 10% off the top of all that we make.  Let me restate that.  We are called to give 10% off the top of all that God Gives Us! 

“Make an offering of ten percent, a tithe, of all the produce which grows in your fields year after year.”  Deuteronomy 14:22

“Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops;” Proverbs 3:9

       My husband and I have had some hard times financially over the years.  There have been times that we looked at our tithe to our home church and thought we need the money more than the church does.  Our attitude changed tremendously once we heard a few great speakers talk on the topic of money and our responsibility.  When I heard the story of the poor widow who gave even though she lived in poverty I had to question my tentativeness.

“Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others.  They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” Mark 12:43-44

       She had given ALL of what she had to the Lord.  The Lord was doing Immeasurably More through her. But, how could she do this?  How would she live?

“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” 

Matthew 6:31-33

       She had faith like no other that God would provide for her.  May I have faith like that Lord?  Our attitude began to change and we began to tithe.  When out of obedience and faith we gave the first fruits of what we made our lives changed.  No we did not have some windfall of money, but a major change in our hearts.  We do not tithe out of a duty or guilt but out of faith knowing that God is the one that has given us the money and we are to give back to Him through our church.

       Tithing is like the training wheels of faith.  This is where the lessons about money begin.  It is important to God and to us that we are responsible with money.  To tithe brings about a heart change. Our responsibility to God about our money becomes more important. We stop serving two masters with our obsession with money.

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”  Matthew 6: 24

Freeing up the space that the love and concern of money engulfed in us allowed more room for Him to do Immeasurably More through us.  As our faith grew and our finances were in control we saw that we had more opportunities to give, over and beyond our tithes.  First we tithe to our church then we can give to other ministries that we feel God has led us to support.

       Giving is such a blessing.  The outpouring of money that God has entrusted us with becomes a great support to ministries that are serving God all over the world.  Becoming a family that gives has increased our faith and our love of giving. 

Do you need to rethink money and the space it takes up in your life?  Are you serving the god of money?  Are you always worried about making ends meet?  Can you begin to stand in faith and tithe 10% of the first fruits that God gives you?  Can you evaluate the misuse of the money God has entrusted you with and see where you can give above the first fruits?  You will be blessed by allowing God to do Immeasurably More through you!