It’s one of those – shift-in-the-pew, stare down at the Bible in your hand, slide your eyes carefully over to your spouse’s face without turning, do not, whatever you do, do not look at the Pastor who just uttered the word – words.
Why does tithing make so many people uncomfortable?
I like to think it’s because it’s one of the smaller rings on a target. You know the kind, the concentric circles that get smaller and smaller – darts, bow and arrow type. These rings are similar to our faith journey. Each ring is an “issue” we must face, or a commandment we must wrestle with to keep with Biblical parlance.
Prayer, Keeping the Sabbath, Modesty, Patience, Kindness – the fruits of the spirit are all in there.
“… the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control …” Galatians 5:22-23 NIV
I digress.
In keeping with the analogy, please bear with me, the enemy fires arrows (flaming darts) at us all the time trying to trip us up, trying to prick us, wound us, make us doubt.
Our rings might all represent something different, but the smaller they are, the higher the hit points. I like to think tithing, while not the bullseye, is certainly one of the smaller targets.
The devil hits it and we shift, glance around, cough, change subjects.
I know I struggled deeply with this for many years. The church might not use the money right. My budget is too tiny, I just can’t do it. I’ll give in a big way when I’m better off! Sound familiar? Then a sister in Christ sat me down and asked me – why are we supposed to tithe?
See, the fact is, I would get so twisted up in what tithing was, that I never thought to ask the why. God does not need my money.
I’m going to say that again for the people in the back – God does not need our money. He doesn’t need anything from us.
It’s not about money.
It’s about faith.
Do we trust what the Bible says about God? Do we trust who we say God is?
“And my God will liberally supply (fill until full) your every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus …” – Philippians 4:19 AMP
We are to tithe with a cheerful and willing heart not to give God money, but to glorify God, to show the world that He can be trusted. It helps us keep our hearts soft and our hands open.
This topic is so much more and there are many great theologians out there that speak on it, so please, I encourage you to search the scriptures, find good sermons on the topic, and of course, above all, pray to God on it.
And I pray that the next time you pass the collection plate or money box you’ll feel peace and joy as you slip the bills in giving thanks to God for the meeting of our needs, His love, and His faithfulness!