Ask someone who doesn’t attend church, what they think of when they hear the word, “church” and one answer you’ll hear more than most is, “All churches want is your money”. That is the same answer you’ll hear from folks who attend church. Our last question dealt with the difficulties many have in sharing their faith. Equally difficult for some believers is to faithfully give their tithes and offerings on a regular and proportionate basis to their church. Money can be a powerful force in our lives. 1 Tim. 6:10 - “For the love of money is the root of all evil…”. Money itself is not evil, but our attitude towards our money can be an evil in our lives. The rest of 1 Tim. 6:10 tells us, “…which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows”. Our ability and our desire to give is largely determined by our attitude towards our money.

Have you ever wondered why so many folks don’t like to talk about tithing/giving? Whether you’re new to church or have been attending for years, understanding the biblical meaning of tithing can be a bit confusing. It’s not about just giving money, it’s about a deeper commitment to faith and community. Tithing is rooted in scripture with significant references in both the Old and New Testaments highlighting its importance as a practice of gratitude and community support.

Then why is it so hard for some people to give? Some are just stingy and believe that their money is theirs and it is theirs to do with as they wish. Others are fearful that if they give to the church they may not be able to meet their other financial responsibilities. Finally, some may not have been adequately taught in stewardship, generosity, and the biblical teachings regarding one’s giving. I’ll do my best to share what the Bible has to say about the giving of our resources to the Lord, through His church.

Jesus spoke often to His followers about the pull of wealth and riches on the human heart. Matt. 19:24 - “I’ll say it again, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God”. Matt. 6:21 - “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be”. Matt. 13:22 - “The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced”. Luke 12:15 - “Then He said, ‘Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own”. Jesus understood the pull that our money can have on us.

So how do we determine when to give and how much we should give? There is a story of three church members who were discussing their thoughts on giving. The first one said, “I take a piece of paper and draw a circle on it. Then I take all the money from my paycheck and hold it over the circle. Then I throw all my money up in the air and whatever falls inside the circle is the church’s and the rest is mine”. The second one says, “I open my Bible, lay it on the table and then throw all the money up in the air. What monies land on the Bible is the church’s and the rest is mine”. The last one says, “I take all the money from my paycheck and throw it up in the air. Whatever God wants, He can take, and whatever comes back down is mine?” Shouldn’t there be a better way to guide us in our giving?

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY ‍

‍ ‍The first principle to guide us in our giving is the understanding that everything belongs to God. Ps. 24:1 - “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein”. Everything belongs to God - and that includes our money, our possessions, even our very lives - it all belongs to God! Therefore, when we talk about giving, we’re not talking about giving MY money, we talking about giving back to God what is already His! The word “tithe'“ means tenth and that is where we get the practice of tithing 10% of our income. Once we can understand this it will make your giving much easier and it will even become a source of joy to you! The more we learn to trust God with our finances, the more He can use me and my money to reveal His glory. The more I get to be a conduit for His works, the more my faith gets to be tested and grown. Another word about giving a tenth: that’s just a good starting point for us. As we grow in Christ, we should also grow in our giving. Remember this: God doesn’t just want your first 10%, He wants 100% of your whole heart!!

‍ ‍Another principle is learning to be a cheerful giver. 2 Cor. 9:7-8 - “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward, that you, always having all sufficiency all things, may have an abundance for every good work”. Here are some takeaways from this verse - our giving is a personal decision that should be a deliberate act. Our giving shouldn’t be a snap decision to put a couple of dollars in the offering plate as it passes by, but a conscientious decision we make by giving of our resources to God, through His church. You might be leery of giving because it may negatively impact your other financial responsibilities, but this verse reminds that we have sufficiency in all things. God will provide all our needs!

~Let’s notice the word, “cheerful” - this conveys a sense of joy and readiness. More than that, this reflects the character of God, who is generous and delights in giving, as seen in Js. 1:17, where every good and perfect gift is described as coming from above. The cheerful giver mirrors God’s own nature, and this attitude is celebrated throughout the Bible, such as in Pro. 22:9, which states that a generous person will be blessed. This principle also points to the ultimate example of Jesus Christ, who gave Himself willingly and joyfully for the salvation of all mankind, as described in Heb. 12:2. So if God loves a cheerful giver, does that mean God doesn’t love someone who gives reluctantly? Not necessarily. God can make all grace abound toward us - sometimes, in order to get to the place where you’re a cheerful giver, you have to give when you’re not so happy about it. Some may say, “I’ll give when I can be cheerful about it”. God didn’t tell us to only give when we can be cheerful about it, He does tell us that He loves a cheerful giver.

~Our giving should never be out of a sense of obligation, compulsion, or pressure, as these only lead to resentment. Giving under compulsion becomes an obligation, not worship. As believers, our giving should always be done willingly and with joy, knowing that we are obeying the commands found in 2 Cor. chapters 8 and 9.

Now comes the question of, “How much am I supposed to give?”. Right on the heels of that question is, “Do I give off of my gross income or my net income?” How do I come up with an amount to give. The word, “tithe” means “tenth”. This is a good place to begin in determining how much you’ll give to the Lord and His church. Your giving should be regular and proportionate - be faithful in your giving. Be careful to not fall into the trap of giving only when you have a little extra or when you can “afford” to. In Mt. 22:21 Jesus says, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s”. Remember what we learned in Ps. 24:1, everything belongs to God! This means just not our tithe/offering but all that we have. We focus on the 10% - what about the other 90%? Honor God with all that you have! Here’s a little truth bomb for you - give to God what is His and He will protect the rest. Mal. 3:11 - “I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, so that He shall not destroy the fruits of your ground”. As you honor God with your tithes and offerings, He’ll get involved with the rest. The remaining 90% will go further than ever before because you’ve got the supernatural power of God with your finances. It’s helpful to note that while the New Testament reinforces the importance of giving, it does not directly establish a mandated percentage for believers. The absence of a specific directive on tithing suggests a transition from a legalistic approach to a principle of generosity.

One last thought on this thread - perhaps you’ve heard someone say, “Give till it hurts”? This is not the way God intended for us to approach our giving. Remember God loves a cheerful giver - our giving is something intended to bring us joy as we partner with God (and our church) in the on-going work of building God’s kingdom! Here’s something to consider, God created the tithe for our benefit! Pro. 3:9 - 10 - “Honor the Lord with your substance…so shall your barns be filled with plenty”. Tithing is sowing - it’s giving back to God what already belongs to Him! Tithing is the most foundational part of prosperity - that’s where it begins. Giving to what is already God’s first helps us to see the benefits of giving are beyond anything you could ever imagine! Mal. 3:10 - “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it”. Luke 6:38 - “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again”. The question isn’t “can I afford to give?”, the question is “How can i afford NOT to give to the Lord?'“

Beware of looking at your giving as a means to manipulate God into blessing you financially. Some folks misinterpret Mk. 10:30 to mean that whatever I give to God will be multiplied back to me 100 times. In other words, if I give $10 to the church God will give me back $1000. When we attempt to use our giving as a means to manipulate God we’re missing the real point of love, faith, service and devotion.

Giving of our finances to the Lord’s work is a source of great joy and fulfillment. Our giving was never intended to done out of fear or duty, but simply as an opportunity to obey God’s Word to bring Him honor and glory!