PRAY IT! THE TITHE

Let's talk about... tithing, baby!  [Gulp... gag... turns away in awkward embarrassment...]  Money stuff can rub people the wrong way.  It becomes something we *don't* won't to talk about because it can be awkward.

But... here we go, anyway!

Here are a few money/tithing moments that stand out to me:

When I was young, I went to a church that was always in need of a roof.  So, in efforts to raise money for the roof, the following fundraising endeavor occurred:  When it was someone's birthday/birthday week, they were expected to stand up on stage in front of the entire congregation.  The congregation would sing to them.  Then the person would be expected to put money into a birthday box that was equal to their age.  Happy Birthday.  The box never went away.  The roof needed to be re-done multiple times.  If it wasn't the roof, it was air-conditioning or carpet that wouldn't look so bad in wedding photos.  This left a general distaste in my mouth.  Not only was it awkward, but I began to tell myself that I could spend my money better than that church could.  Even though I was beginning to have mixed feelings about God anyway, I hypothesized that we shouldn't care about the color of the carpet nearly as much as starving people... And I was pretty sure in my youthful and cynical mind that the way to go about it probably wasn't the birthday box.  This fundraising colored my view of all things financial related to the church.  Why tithe?  This was not a win for tithing in my mind.

When I was young, I helped with children's church during the summer  It. Was. Amazing.  My mom developed such an awesome program, and one of the many components included tithing.  All of the children would receive ten pennies for that Sunday for their "work".  (Depending on the summer, theme it may have been work in the "orchard" or work in the "armory" etc.)  Pennies could be lost due to behavior.  One of the ten pennies was taken up for offering for God.  They were free to spend the other nine pennies at the store.  Although at first some of the children objected, it did not take long for them to see that they could give God one of the pennies and He still managed to meet their every want and desire at the store.  That was a win for tithing.

When I was older, I didn't attend church or believe in God.  Therefore, my money was mine.  My time was mine.  Everything was all mine... A win for me... Or so I thought...

When I first began re-attending church, I put anonymous cash in the offering plate because I did not want anyone to know how little I was contributing.  I was embarrassed.  And I wasn't all-in.  And I was ashamed that I was not all-in while simultaneously not wanting to change.  It wasn't just money - I wasn't all-in on multiple levels.  I did not have a regard for church or trust in God.  I also failed to have confidence that God could take my little bit and multiply it.  I failed to see the simple math.  I did not see that my little bit plus your little bit plus all the other little bits added up to contribute to some major Kingdom work.  But if I left out my little bit... and so did you... and so did everyone else... thinking that it was inconsequential and not useful... well, then we'd not have anything... 

And now?  I'm all-in with Jesus.  I'm all-in with the Church of the Nazarene.  I'm all-in with PoC.  I'm all-in with tithing.  I trust God to be who He says He is.  Plus, it all belongs to Him anyway... Not just my money... but my time... my "talents" (still trying to figure those out, ha, but I'm sure they exist!)  I belong to Jesus.  I am His responsibility.  

To be frank, there are a million and one thoughts that are zooming around in my brain at warp speed at any given time.  Tithing is not one that consumes my thoughts.  I simply don't have enough room in there.  For whatever reason, I take it with the childlike faith that God encourages us to have.  I simply tithe, trust God to take care of me, and don't think much about it beyond that.  A lot of this is God's transformation in me as I have grown to love and trust Him, coupled with what might be some natural hard-wiring.  (If you've seen the Big Bang Theory episode where Sheldon lends Penny money because she cannot pay her rent... she freaks out... he does not... Anyway, I think I might be Sheldon.  It's that simple in his mind... Penny needs money.  Sheldon has money.  Plus, it would be less awkward to give Penny the money than to pass Penny in the street living in a card board box.  Ha... but, I digress...)

I love Psalm 5:1-3.  I love it... in every version of the Bible.  Although it is not about tithing, this is the verse that comes to mind most often when I think about tithing... or when I think about how everything - all of me - belongs to God.  Here it is in the Message version:  "Listen, GOD!  Please, pay attention!  Can you make sense of these ramblings, my groans and cries?  King-God, I need your help.  Every morning you'll hear me at it again.  Every morning I lay out the pieces of my life on your altar and watch for fire to descend."  

Every day, we have the choice - in our decisions, in our interactions with people, with our finances and health, in all things... from the biggest to the smallest decisions... to lay every last little bit down at the altar, and wait for God to do something with all of it.

So, that's what I try to do when it comes to tithing and when it comes to everything.

So... that's my tithing story.  

As you pray today, I encourage you to reflect upon your tithing story.  Maybe you've had experiences that have negatively impacted your view.  Or maybe your experiences have been great.  Maybe you've viewed your "little bit" as so little that it wouldn't be missed.  Maybe tithing is very simple for you, or maybe it is a battle every time to write that check (or push the give button if you tithe electronically...)  Regardless, I encourage you to spend time with God.  He loves you.  He cares for you.  He's listening.  Maybe He wants to have a conversation.  

Pastor Celia

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!