We humans tend to be a lot more generous when the things we are giving belong to someone else. We can let it go easier because it is not ours. So if the person it belongs to tells us to give it away, we quickly obey…because none of it is ours anyway, right? This is the mentality we must have with every blessing God gives us, including our finances. The tithe I mentioned yesterday is defined in the Bible as the first 10% of what God has given us. This is the first, and so the best of what we have because it reflects our gratitude towards the God who gave us the blessings in the first place.
Let me give you the first example in the Bible about the heart of tithing: Cain and Abel. Go read Gen 4:1-16, as well as Heb 11:4, when you get a moment today. The difference between Cain and his younger brother was that Cain did not honor God by giving his best, while Abel gave from his first and best. Cain worked the land which may have given him too much temptation to take credit for the crops that grew. For this reason he kind of gathered some leftovers and haphazardly, with an attitude of just going through the motions, offered them to God. Meanwhile Abel was a shepherd who had to fully rely on God for the animals, their health and their breeding. This means, when he gave an offering to God, he gratefully gave from the first born animals. This also means he had to trust God that there would be more animals born to increase his own flock. See how this tithe was a test of his Faith?
Tithing is a blessing to us. It is simply giving of our first and our best and it is a great gauge of our trust in God and His provision. We have to trust that we will be able to pay all our bills and save some money for ourselves when we give towards God’s Kingdom right off the top. Freely and willingly giving the first 10% of our income, this is another financial test.
<>< Peace, Diane
