To Tithe or Not to Tithe

It’s no secret that our country is facing difficult times. Last month, the unemployment office reported a record number of filings. Few areas in the country have been left unaffected by our nation’s financial crisis. A car plant not too far from my house just closed its doors last week, leaving thousands without jobs.

It is tempting during these tough times to stop giving our tithe. We might look at our income and see that we have more money going out than coming in. If only we could save that extra 10% for ourselves, we’d be a bit better off.

I was sitting at lunch the other day with some co-workers, when one of them made the observation that his future in-laws were losing their house because they insisted on giving 10% of their income to their church. This announcement began a flurry of religion-bashing, blaming the churches for “conning” good people out of their hard-earned money in order to profit the church.

As the conversation buzzed around me, I turned to the man who had started the subject and said to him, “You know, I find it really hard to believe that people would lose their house over 10% of their income. Are you sure there wasn’t something else going on there?” He confessed in a low voice that these people had indeed gotten themselves into a heap of credit card debt and had made other careless choices with their money.

I had a choice at that moment—to speak up or to sit tight. I spoke up. I announced to the table that my husband and I tithe and feel better off for it. Sure, there are weeks when writing out that check is difficult to say the least, but we have yet to go hungry.

I remember a few years ago, right after I had bought my house as a single woman. It had taken a rather large stretch in my finances to be able to buy my home, and I was feeling the strain of living paycheck-to-paycheck. I was having a conversation with a friend and told her that I’d like to tithe, but I just couldn’t afford it. She replied, “Oh honey, you can’t afford NOT to tithe.”

She went on to tell me about the numerous times her husband and she almost lost their business and their farm, but each time the Lord would pull them though. She confessed to me that she used to lie awake at night and worry about money, but experience had taught her not to, because God never let them down. Now when they are experiencing an economic downturn, my friend sleeps soundly, knowing that everything is going to be alright.

Leviticus 27:30 states, “A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.” Remember when you are tempted to withhold your tithe to pay some other bill, that really that money is not yours, but God’s. And if you have not been a good steward of God’s money, try to make things right if you can. After all, it is our covenant with God that if we are faithful with what He has given us, He will not let us falter.