I’ve struggled a lot with tithing and giving to church. Maybe you have too. I vacillate between wanting to give above my tithe (but not somehow succeeding) and believing that God has given me permission to give whatever I want/can give. There’s a problem there that I want to address.
I find that these things (want/can) come only after I have paid my bills, eating my fill of junk, and bought my [insert frivolous purchase here]. My want/can never seems to happen before I’ve received my paycheck…only after everything has been paid.
Truthfully, I’m only now getting to where I am at least paying my tithe back to God. We have done it to the dollar this year (so far). It’s the only resolution I’ve managed to keep to this point. In fact, paying my tithe is the only spiritual thing I’ve managed to accomplish this year. I’m way behind on my daily Bible reading, though there is hope there that I can still finish the Bible this year if I get on it. My daily prayer life has not gotten better, either.
Instead, I’ve begun to be obedient. God said to give a tithe, and thus I am giving it. I realize he also said a lot of things that I’m not having a lot of success with. The point is spiritual progress. Just because I’m not obedient in all aspects of my life doesn’t mean I shouldn’t try to tithe properly. And so I do.
And I’m not even giving above what I tithe, at least not yet. But I want to. I want to emulate the Israelites in Exodus 35:21- “And they came, everyone whose heart stirred him, and everyone whose spirit moved him, and brought the Lord’s contribution to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the holy garments.”
They gave…How often do I give? How often do I give above what I’m already bound by scripture to give?
I realize that this doesn’t affect my overall standing in eternity, insofar as eternity itself is concerned. However, could I see an increase in my standing with God, and with my prayer life, by being obedient? And more than obedient…by giving more than I already do?
We’ll see. As an aside, I’m not out to make myself better than anyone else. I’m fully aware of my deficiencies. But maybe this can serve as a call to me and you that we should give more and ask fewer questions.
Would love your thoughts…and as always, you can sign up to receive updates on my social commentary by going HERE.
