Tithing- Does it Matter?
Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me. But you say, In what way have we robbed You? In tithes and offerings (Malachi 3:8). Some people argue that this is an old testament commandment and therefore not required of the church, today. Yet Jesus, in a strong rebuke to the religious leaders, made this statement, “Woe unto you scribes an Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye pay tithes of mint and anise and cumin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone” (Matthew 23:23). One thing Jesus clearly says, is tithing ought not be left undone. So, tithe.
If you have not been a committed tither, it’s not too late to start. It is a commandment of God to do so. In your efforts to become a better person of God- a better woman of God, apply the things you learn; put them in practice. It may just be a matter of giving up some of your excess money; or it may be a lot more complicated than that. This subject may bring great anxiety if you are living check-to-check and barely making ends meet, you can’t see how you can fit it in. It’s easy to be on the other side and say, just trust God. But, that’s what it comes down to.
I know a woman whose husband was not working and in the midst of that, she was convicted to begin tithing. Her husband asked how she would manage that and still pay the bills. She said she didn’t know. One time, their gas and electric was turned off; but before she got home from work, they were back on. Another time, a creditor called and she hung up in tears because he was so nasty to her. Within 30 minutes of hanging up, God pieced together the little money in the bank, a check on the kitchen table to get $60 for
swapping phone carriers, and a check her husband received in the mail that day, for a day’s pay with a former employer. It was just enough to make the car payment. And she praised God.
I’m not saying it won’t be scary at times, but just like Jesus brought me through those scenarios, He can do the same for you. You may lose your home, or a car, or something else, but those are things. It’s humbling and can be embarrassing; but they are, just things. You cannot lose your soul’s salvation; no one can foreclose or repossess that, and that’s a great, great, blessing.
Not to be cliché, but we can do more with the 90% and trusting God than the full 100% and fearing man and creditors. I still jokingly say, (though completely serious), that if I lose my home, I would move in with my parents, pastor, aunties from church, or somebody else. God will not leave me forsaken; He will not leave His seed begging bread. It would be extremely humbling, but a necessary lesson about living in my means; making better choices, or perhaps an indication that He has something else for me. Either way, He would help me rebuild and I will be wiser, better, and stronger as a result.
If you have been convicted to start or if you are already a committed tither, decide whether you are tithing off the net or gross. I started off tithing on the net because I only knew that I was supposed to tithe. Years later, I heard my pastor preach on tithing off the gross. That was unsettling and scary, but I immediately started tithing off the gross. His point was, Uncle Sam (the government), our health insurance carrier, life insurance carrier, 401K, etc., all have their hands in our check before we even get to it; they take theirs off the top line (the gross), so give God His, off the top, too.
Jesus says, if you love Me, keep My commandments (John 14:15). I honestly don’t know that He is as concerned about how you go about doing it, as long as you do it and do so with earnest, desiring to please Him. Pray about, search the scriptures and yield to the voice of God and the conviction of His Spirit in you. May God be with you.
I would love to hear your story.
