On
Sunday, Phil spoke about tithing at church. Ooooh, the thing so many
people cringe about. Honestly, I've never really thought about
Tithing. I think this is mostly because I saw it as something that
adults did, and only recently did I realize...oh no, I'm an adult,
and it's time to start contributing. What I have heard from many
people is that they are afraid to tithe because they aren't sure of
where their money is really going. And, for the most part, I
understand that. It is especially overwhelming when churches throw a
bible at you, figuratively, if you don't give in great amounts, or at
all. Now, I completely believe that the church should encourage
tithing, but I don't think that churches should ever embarrass, or
even pressure, people into giving. When this happens, people
automatically shut down, and assume all you want is their money.
And, sometimes, it really seems that way.
Today,
I got paid. And for me, it couldn't have come at a better time.
Transitioning into being paid monthly isn't something I'm crazy
about, but it's such a blessing from God to have this job, and so I
know that although it's not ideal, it is what is good for me and I am
grateful. And, having thought back on the message, I immediately
took out 10% for tithing so that I could take it to the weekly
gatherings. And, the funniest thing happened.
It
hurt.
It
hurt so much.
And
that's how I know it was the right thing to do. Phil made a comment
that if it doesn't hurt, it's not sacrifice. How true it is. And
don't think I'm writing this to showcase how I am actively tithing,
because really this blog is about how shallow I have been with not
tithing, and really how scared I am at how much money I am going to
be giving. But, Phil said it best when he talked about how much we
can trust God with. If we are going to trust him with our lives,
than giving our money isn't as difficult. And, when you really think
about it, the money is all from God anyway. It is our responsibility
to steward it well, and to use it wisely for the body of believers
and the greater community.
I
know God blesses obedience, and I know this situation will be no
different. I just have to realize that I need to do what I am called
to do, and now I realize that once you give it all, it will only get
easier over time. At first, I toyed with the idea of starting with
5% and moving up over time. But, really, would I ever make it to
10%? And why the need to shortchange God? There's something wrong
with that!
So,
I've learned a lot, and I feel like God is waking me up to the
realization that I am responsible to follow His word, in all aspects,
even monetarily. And, as I prepare to leave for Thailand, and have
my experiences from Haiti, I know that the money I'm giving will fund
organizations that are getting more done than I ever will alone. And
isn't that what it is about?
So,
if you don't give regularly, know that you are called to support the
church that you are taking from, whether it be through messages, or
programs, etc. This is a family, and we need each other. I
encourage you to be generous, because we know the only cure for greed
in this world is giving. I challenge you to trust God with your
giving.
He
will bless your obedience; He always does.
In
Christ,
Lilia
I just read a story by R.C. Sproul about how his dad who had been a faithful tither his entire life, didn't tithe one year (due to financial crisis in his business). The next year, his dad suffered a series of strokes that he eventually died from. Sproul's dad attributed the strokes to his lack of tithing in that last year. I read that and was scared stiff! Yeah, keep tithing. Apparently it can save your life:)
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