FAMILY IT! — Wednesday Family Devotional — “Street Hero”

My parents started giving me an allowance when I was about six or seven.  The funny thing is, I don’t remember actually getting the allowance.  I don’t remember how much I got or what I used it for.  What I remember is having to put some of it in my gold bunny bank to take to church for the offering.  That part is burned into my brain, mainly because I so didn’t want to do it.  I can still picture the bookcase where my bank sat, my hand hovering over the coin slot with a nickel or dime ready to drop in, and wanting so much to put the money back in my pocket.  It seemed like such a sacrifice to give those cents up!

I wish I could say that my parents’ example helped me early on.  It didn’t.  I struggled with tithing and giving to God for over twenty years.  I heard a great analogy that really helped me see the full picture in giving to God.

Start by having different members of your family look up these verses:  Deuteronomy 14:22; Leviticus 27:30; Exodus 23:19; Malachi 3:10.  The Bible is pretty clear: God wants us to set aside at least 10% of what we make and give it to his church to be used for his ministry.  Let’s make this more visual.  Get out a piece of paper and draw 10 cantaloupes on one side with your family’s name written above them.  Come on, go with me on this.  Draw 10 cantaloupe circles and pretend these are your allowance or paycheck.  Ten percent of those would be one whole cantaloupe, right?  Write God’s name on the other side of the paper and draw one circle under it to stand for the one cantaloupe.  Be sure to cross out one of your ten as well, because you gave it to God.  He says this isn’t supposed to be the leftovers after we pay the bills and buy all the things on our “want” list.  He asks for our first fruits, to be the first thing we give money to.  So we give him that cantaloupe right away.  Now, looking at your picture, it doesn’t seem like a big deal.  God has just the one he asks for, and you still have nine whole cantaloupes for yourself.  Good deal!

But then life starts to happen.  You know what I mean: bills.  For grown ups, it’s paying for the house, the lights, the heat (or air conditioning), the groceries, etc. etc.  For teens it’s gas for the car and maybe the insurance.  It’s a dress for prom and movies and late night pizza runs.  Even kids have things they want to buy: new video games or Legos or the latest American Girl doll.  Suddenly those nine cantaloupes start disappearing!  (Cross some of them out.)  Now it doesn’t look like such a good deal.  Now we really want that one cantaloupe back in our pile.  After all, God doesn’t really need it, does he?  The Bible says he owns the cattle on a thousand hills, after all.  What’s he need with my puny cantaloupe, anyway?

The temptation is to take that tithe, that gift back from God.  We feel it would be smarter to wait until we’ve paid all the bills, spent all the money on what we need and want, and then if there’s extra, give that to God.  Basically, you’re cutting open ALL of the cantaloupes, eating whatever you want, and then maybe giving a piece or two to God right before the next payday…when you’re going to get 10 more cantaloupes to eat.  It seems wise, more responsible that way, doesn’t it?

Here’s the problem.  Read Malachi 3:8-9.  Ouch!  Rob from God??  That’s not what we’re doing…is it?  Well, think about those cantaloupes again.  What do you see when you cut open a cantaloupe?  Orange flesh and seeds, right?  When we eat them, we eat as much of the fruit as we can, then toss the rest.  But when we give it to God, he not only uses the entire fruit, but he also scatters the seeds.  He sows opportunities for Kingdom growth like we could never do on our own.  When you choose to invest in God, you help spread opportunities through mission works, building projects, radio messages, support for disaster victims, help for families in crisis.  Do you get it?  When we eat the fruit ourselves and just give the leftovers to God, we “steal” the opportunities in the seeds that come from having faith that God will take care of us now matter what.  

After all, that’s what it’s really all about.  We’re hesitant to give not because we don’t love God, but because we’re afraid there won’t be enough to go around.  We’re not sure God will provide everything we need…and everything we want.  But look at his promise to us at the end of Malachi 3:10: “And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”  He’s practically challenging you to take a leap of faith, to trust him to provide, and to watch for a downpour of blessings all because you were faithful to obey.  

Has your family taken the tithing leap of faith?  If so, share stories about how God has proven himself faithful in your faithful giving.  How has he come through for your family?  (By the way, we’d like to hear those stories, too!  If you have a tithing story, I’d love it if you’d share.)

If your family is still hovering at this step, talk about what’s keeping you from taking the leap.  What an awesome opportunity to decide right now to commit to give to God as a family!  In my experience, the only real way to do it is just to do it.  Make the commitment, give to God, and you will be amazed at how he shows himself faithful to you!!  Close your time together thanking God for all the ways he provides for your family and the world.  Thank you, Lord!