Giving


This is a tough subject, but I have given this much thought and it has much scriptural verification.

First of all, should I tithe? Tithing was an Old Testament commandment and it was possible to tithe because it was a commandment when it wasn’t from the heart and the entire New Testament is based on the heart. That’s why when the woman who gave the only two mites that she had Jesus said that she had given the most compared to everyone else.

His evaluation of what she had done wasn’t based on the amount that she gave, it was based on the fact that she had trusted God to provide for her even though she had no more money. She trusted God beyond her material and physical status.

That tells me that my faith is far more valuable than the value of money. So, should I tithe? Good question! We’re no longer under the Old Testament so the commandment to do so is no linger valid. Everything we do now is totally based on the heart, so that opens the door to where ever your heart is.

For me, I’m on a fixed income so I do not have free money to give, but I do have a great deal of free time and effort that I desire to give, and I firmly do believe that God takes good care of me. So, does my free time and effort equal two mites? Good question again!

Now we need to talk and I’ve given this a lot of thought, even as I write. I believe that the most important thing is the heart, so where is my heart? I believe (with good reason) that God takes care of me and my heart is His! And I know that whether I have money or not (which I don’t) I can still bring great value to Christ through what I do and I can volunteer my time and efforts at no cost at all, so yes I believe that equals two mites. When a man who has had a broken brain stem offers to volunteer for Christ, that’s valuable! I’m totally relying on Him to bring value through my efforts. Now that’s faith!

In the scriptures and in the New Testament, Jesus said:
Matt 6:24-27

24 "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money .

25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
NIV

So, the question to me is: Who do I serve? God or money? To me, the answer is extremely clear! I serve God with all of my life! Not just some things—everything! It’s because of Him that I have a life and any abilties. So of course I serve Him. I can, no matter what I do, only give back an extremely small portion of what has been given to me. So, of course I serve Him!

Now, should others do the same? I believe that others should do what I have done: evaluate where they are and what they do. Jesus looks at their heart and they should too!