Trust
Our Sunday School teacher used a wonderful analogy this past week. This has been in the forefront of my mind since then.
God owns everything and provides for me and entrusts me with all that he provides. God expects me to give back 10 percent (the tithe) and above that I should use other things he gives me to further His kingdom on earth; my house, my car, my talents.
I take the money I get and put it in the bank where I entrust them to keep that money safe for me until I decide to use it and then they pay the people with that money to whom I write checks.
So what if the bank ( the stewards of my money) decided they wanted to use my money for something they thought was a better cause or just for their own selfish interest? Would I be hurt, upset, angry, incensed and take my business elsewhere? Or, would I be gracious and forgiving and entrust the bank more of my money?
I just ask.
October 18th, 2006 at 3:07 pm
I have been studying (thanks to my Uncle Tom) a school of thought that says that tithing was under Mosaic law, and since the redemption that fulfilled that law, it isn’t a New Testament requirement.
It’s interesting to note that when tithing was mandated in the Old Testament, it wasn’t a tithe of money. Instead it was a tithe of crops, livestock and other durable goods. The tithe was put in a “storehouse” and shared among all during the non-harvest seasons.
I haven’t decided yet which theory I agree with. I don’t believe that failure to tithe is is sin, but being a giver by nature, I don’t see anything wrong with it either. I do, however, believe that when pastors and churches use guilt and fear to coerce people to tithe, IMHO, that act is wrong.
October 18th, 2006 at 3:14 pm
Just a little background as to why this subject interests me….. as a teen, my parents were strongly involved in the “faith” movement. You know the one…. blab it and grab it, if you don’t get healed it’s because there’s sin in your life, give all you have and you’ll get rich. Yeah, that one.
I have seen people neglect their bills and families because they believed that giving to these ministers and organizations would net them a blessed return and make them wealthy. I don’t know of a single couple or family it worked for except those ministries that fleeced thousands of people into giving them the money to buy newer jets.
With the radical points of religion out there, I strive to find a balance, but more important, to find the truth. There are so few absolutes.
October 19th, 2006 at 7:16 am
Thanks for your viewpoint, Kim. First, I don’t want the message here to be lost in a “to tithe or not to tithe” debate. God made man in His image and then gave him dominion over the rest of creation. I don’t think God did this so we could abuse His creation. He made us stewards of the His creation. He entrusts us with the everything He blesses us with – starting with our parents. Honor your father and mother (Old Testament by the way). Then other blessings abound from God; health, wealth, children, jobs, church, possessions, etc.
I, too, grew up with that “name it and claim it” doctrine. Here is an absolute truth God is not an investment banker and He certainly doesn’t need our cash. If one is looking for a return on their money, they should buy stocks or invest in a CD at their local bank. Those that tithe as an investment to God so they can reap some kind of physical/monetary reward have a mis-guided motive. One should give out of the love for Lord with a cheerful heart not out of a sense of duty. I attend a medium sized church and I know that if the people of this church collectively said, “Tithing is not necessary so I am going to stop giving.”, I’m not sure how long the electricity would stay on. I believe that the church should use what money it needs to pay it’s expenses and the rest for mission work. Churches should not stockpile money.
God sent Jesus to save a fallen world. After Jesus died on the cross, was buried, rose from the dead on the third day and then ascended to Heaven to sit at the right hand of God – God sent the Holy Spirit to guide us. The Holy Spirit may lead me into tithing and giving to my local church (the modern day storehouse) which includes my time and talents as well as money. But the Holy Spirit is never going to led me to give because I want a new Lexus. He just doesn’t work that way. And if you are attending a church where the pastor says something like that, you need to pray and seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance as to where you should be attending church.
When the disciples ask Jesus to teach them how to pray, Jesus said to ask for your daily bread. Another absolute truth we are not guaranteed another minute. All we have is right now. I pray that we make the best of it according to His purpose for our life.
October 19th, 2006 at 3:05 pm
Very well said, Dolan!
October 20th, 2006 at 11:36 am
Excellent points Dolan! The guilt factor I was referring to in the prosperity aspect of the faith movement was a well known minister who claimed he was going to die if he didn’t get X million dollars to build a hospital. He built the hospital, sold it to Cancer Treatment Centers of America and netted a tidy profit.
I do believe in giving freely. It’s my nature. I also agree that many people, regardless of religious affiliation rob themselves out of the rewards of giving. Not financial rewards, but outreach, education, and just plain ol’ being nice. I personally have always given more than he requisite “tithe” amount.
I especially liked your point about stewardship. Time and talent are a huge part of stewardship, and I agree that they should be given as well. Where I would tend to disagree with modern religious philosophies is that it doesn’t all have to go to a church. There is a world in pain and in need out there, and a great deal of it doesn’t ever see the inside of a sanctuary.
I am not against tithing at all. My only stance is guilt that is sometimes involved in the pursuasion. I love to give, and I do so freely (sometimes too freely, lol) and I reap a personal reward of a good feeling from giving.