“If you aren’t tithing to the church now, you never will.” Those words seemed a little harsh coming from my mentor in the summer of 2014. I was a broke college kid. How was my tithe (defined as ten percent of my earnings) going to help anyway?
My mentor went on to explain that every stage of life comes with an excuse NOT to tithe—I don’t have a consistent income, I’m in college, have debt, need to save for a house, save for kids, save for retirement, etc. The excuses are endless, but the excuses reveal our heart.
My excuse about being a broke college kid revealed that my heart longed for safety through the amount in my bank account instead of longing for obedience to the Lord. For the longest time, I “justified” not financially tithing to my church with the fact that I was being generous with my time there through volunteering. Why did God need my money too?
I believe the Lord asks us to faithfully give our money for several reasons...
To Change Our Hearts
2 Corinthians 9:7 says, "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
We are not natural givers. Take a look at how toddlers behave and you will see the condition of our human heart. I think Dave Ramsey explains well how our heart condition changes when we practice giving,
“Tithing means you’re being obedient to God, so you should
give without expecting anything in return. Giving encourages
a grateful and generous spirit and can help steer us away
from being greedy or loving money too much. Plus, being
outrageously generous is so much more fun!”
To Glorify Our Giver
One of the most famous passages in the Bible on giving is Mark 12:41-44. In it we read,
“Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and
watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many
rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in
two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples
to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into
the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she,
out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”
The rich threw in their big amounts, showing their wealth and giving from their excess. The widow gave sacrificially out of her own need, with a desire that her gift would glorify her Giver. Whether we are blessed with much or with little, may our hearts reflect that of the widow who gave generously for the glory of her Giver.
To Further God’s Kingdom
When speaking of people who were generous, 2 Corinthians 9:12-13 says,
“This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the
Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.
Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will
praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel
of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.”
(emphasis my own)
At Council Road, we can physically look at our church budget to see all of the incredible work that our tithe does in our community and around the world. We frequently get updates from families, ministries, and even individuals who don’t yet know Jesus about blessings received from the faithful giving of our church. That alone should inspire you to give what you can! Your tithe furthers the reach of the gospel.
Pastor Rick always says to just start giving what you can, even if that is 1% of what you have.
Just start somewhere.
Meet the author!
Becca Walker is a 2nd grade teacher in Edmond, Oklahoma. Her passion for kids mainly comes from the fact that she herself is still just a kid at heart. She and her husband, Brennan, love to serve in the church in many ways. Whether it is children’s ministry, youth, worship, or leading a young adult small group, they love it all! Becca’s main loves are her family, her pups Wrigley and Rizzo, her Savior, Old Navy, and of course, the incredible community at Council Road Baptist Church.