DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE TITHE

Too often Christians recoil when they hear the word tithe. The mind starts doing calculations. Questions of gross or net income are asked. God does not want us to become miniaccountants when it comes to giving, but to be generous in our understanding, our love, and our giving of all our possessions. Our use of money both reflects and greatly affects the true state of our relationship with God.

Understand tithing:

Tithe is an Old English word for "a tenth." It translates Hebrew and Greek words that mean the same. Ancient peoples commonly gave a tenth of their incomes to their gods. So Abraham gave a tenth of his war booty to the priest-king Melchizedek (Gen. 14:17-20), and Jacob vowed to give God a tenth of this income if God protected him in exile (Gen. 28:20-22). Later, the Law of Moses required all Israelites to give a tenth of their harvest to God as a sign of gratitude (Duet. 26:1-15).

The tithes supported the Levites and priests (the equivalent to pastors, missionaries, and other church staff) who taught God's Word and managed the worship services (Num. 18:20-29). The tithes also aided poor Israelites and needy Gentiles living in Israelite cities (Deut. 14:28-29). Tithes additionally funded the people's worship celebrations. There may have been more than one tithe, part of which supported worship and the needy.

People also gave offerings over and above the tithe. Some say that 23% may have been a typical level of giving of the Old Testament Israelites. Not only did religious giving represent almost a quarter of their income, but taxes to the governments were also considerable.

The tithe was not established to support elaborate temple worship and full-time ministers, but as a physical, earthly demonstration of man's commitment to God. God understood that people tend to think their possessions are theirs because they earned them, so He established the tithe to test whether they really acknowledged Him as owner of all.

In the New Testament, giving is more of an attitude than a requirement. Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, made the point that giving was a response to God's grace and a way of proving the sincerity of your love toward others (2 Cor. 8:1-12). When people view one another as family, ten percent, or even more, seems a privilege, not a burden.

Giving is God's way of involving us in His redemptive work of caring for the needy, teaching His Word, spreading the Gospel, and gathering His people for worship. We can consider it an honor to be God's partner. Because of the grace we have received, we won't think, How little can I get away with giving? Instead, we will ask ourselves, How much can I manage to give?

How do you think your life would be different a year from now if you consistently gave a tenth of your income to God? How would this affect your lifestyle? How would it affect your inner life?

Examine your budget (with your spouse, if you are married) and ask yourself, How much can I manage to give? Pray about this until you feel confident that you are making a wise decision for your present circumstances. Think about non-monetary as well as monetary gifts.

From Gifts from the Heart: Giving to God What Belongs to God by Larry Burkett. Used by permission of Moody Press, Chicago, Ill., 1-800-678-6928.

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