Ever had the feeling that what you do doesn’t matter? Like picking up a piece of trash, or complimenting someone, or leaving comments on a blog (hint hint), or volunteering somewhere? How bout little things we overlook? What about tithe? Ever think about it? Like REALLY think about it? Me neither.
Eighth grade was when I got my first real job. I don’t count the detassling I did the summer before… I try not to think about it at all actually. I got the privilege of becoming a janitor at Helen Hyatt Elementary. Despite what many people seem to feel about work, I was excited. This was my chance to make money so that I could fund purchases and buy new things. I remember my first day taking out trash. I was skipping down the hallway, grabbing all the trash from all the rooms in record time (It got slower after that), and felt very accomplished that day. When the month was over, another happiness welled up within. Money. Moolah. Green stuff. Coin. Paper. Call it what you will, I was gettin’ paid. As I mentioned, I had monetary goals to achieve; Buying a laptop (which I’m typing on at this moment), putting money away for college, keeping cash on hand for weekend bowling and soda consumption. These are the things that crossed my 14 year old mind as I stared at the paycheck in my hands. However, another thing entered my 14brain.
Tithe.
It was an odd word to say and an even odder word to think about. The concept hadn’t made sense earlier in life and perhaps still didn’t back in 8th grade, but I paid it. Every month, 10% went to tithe and the rest to other funds. The idea of giving back to God sounded good despite it being just another religious motion to go through. Though I did believe that everything belonged to Him in the first place. I don’t remember where I heard this, but a speaker once explained that if we give back to God, He will take care of us financially. Now THAT made sense to me. Giving up part of your paycheck to God is more than money for the church to use. Its a visible representation of faith. Its an investment with guaranteed return. Though you are not “buying” God’s support, you are in fact physically putting forth faith. This is what I discovered as time went on. I felt good paying tithe. I know many of my friends didn’t pay and still don’t and they often stress about money. I’ve heard people say that they can’t afford to give tithe. I feel, how can I afford NOT to give tithe? What’s worth more than mental peace of mind? Especially when it comes to finances, one of the most distressing things to humans.
God demonstrated this to me in a real way just recently. I got two paychecks from different jobs, and after a bit of unintentional procrastination, I gathered a collective amount of tithe from the two of them. Seventy bucks. Sabbath came around and I miraculously didn’t forget to put it in the plate. I felt good, but it wasn’t a huge deal to me at the time. Well it just so happened that that day was my birthday (19 years old) and my dad was in town. So we’d invited some of my friends over to the house for lunch and hangin’ out. After all the eating and laughing, I opened a gift I had there from my dad. In the card was $50. Then he handed me an envelope that arrived in the mail, right on time, like every year from my grandma. In that card was $20.
It didn’t hit me till later that my birthday money that day equalled my tithe exactly. When I realized this, so much made sense (cents). It reaffirmed and solidified the concept in my mind. It revealing in a visible way that God is faithful. I know this could have been coincidence or chance, but I don’t believe in a God that rolls dice. I think in a way it was a reassurance from Him that now as I start college, if I put Him first, the rest will follow. We may not be reimbursed monetarily for our contributions, but trust. Trust that things will be okay. They’ll work out. Put forth the money-faith in your tithe. Then hold on to your spiritual faith that God’s gonna take care of the rest.
“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. TEST me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” Malachi 3:10
