Giving ten percent of one’s income to the Lord is a very meaningful way to show devotion to Him.
My husband and I began tithing right after we tied the knot, so that makes it six years. Unfortunately, we didn’t have a lot of spare cash on hand, but I’d been studying the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy in the Old Testament. Throughout the book, I felt God nudging me to follow the Israelites’ example and devote 10% of my salary to the Lord.
With our recent marriage and the addition of two more children, 10% seemed like a lot. Instead of casually dropping twenty dollars into the offering plate, as I had been doing previously, we now included tithing into our monthly budget and paid it to the church or a ministry just like we would any other payment.
I also anticipated opposition from my spouse. Yet he did not. The truth is, and this came as a complete shock to me, he quickly consented.
Since then, we have continued our practice of regular tithing and have no plans to quit.
What we’ve discovered regarding tithing and how it may be a meaningful expression of love for the Lord is as follows.
Is Tithing Mentioned in the Bible, and If So, Where?
The act of tithing is more than just giving money to the church. A tithe is a tenth, thus the name. The Law of Moses instructs God’s people to pay ten percent to the Lord in Leviticus 27. This command was given to them during their stay in the desert. For it “belongs to the Lord” and “is sacred to the Lord,” the law deemed this action obligatory (Leviticus 27:30). As God’s people progressed through the wilderness and into the Promised Land, they were reminded to keep up the practice of tithing in their new homeland (Deuteronomy 12:6).
By returning to God a portion of what God had given them (the tithe), they recognized that everything belonged to God.
Other men of God tithed long before it was required of them. As a token of his appreciation for God’s favor, Abram gave Melchizedek ten percent of his wealth (Genesis 14:19–20). Jacob promised God one tenth of his possessions (Genesis 28:20-22).
When Nehemiah came along, tithing had ceased (Nehemiah 10:35-37).
Furthermore, Jesus emphasized the need of tithing (Matthew 6:1-4, Mark 12:41-44).
The Israelites’ charitable giving wasn’t limited to the ten percent of their income that was mandated by the law. During religious festivals, when sacred buildings were constructed, and whenever the needs of the widows, orphans, and poor were greatest, the Israelites were obligated to give even more than their tithe.
We are confident in our place as God’s children. Everything on this planet, including God, was created by him. We owe everything to God. Therefore, the least we can do is tithe to God’s church.
An Expression of Faith: Tithing
My husband and I consider tithing to be an act of faith at times. Sometimes it’s difficult to part with that extra 10%. Maybe I need the money for an unexpected medical cost or a big vacation, or maybe my monthly outlays were more than usual and I could have used the cushion. But I know that God will provide all my needs even as I give and feel the sacrifice. Simply said, I’m trusting that God will provide for me as I go out in faith.
In Malachi 3:10-11, God addresses this issue, saying, “‘Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my home. Put me to the test in this, declares the Lord of Hosts, and see if I won’t open the heavens and pour forth so much blessing that you won’t have space to keep it all. The Lord God declares, “I will keep pests from consuming your crops, and the vines in your fields will not shed their fruit until it is mature.”
Look at the birds of the air; they do not plant or harvest or store food in barns, and yet your heavenly Father provides food for them” (Matthew 6:26-27). Don’t you think you’re better than them? Do any of you really think that worrying will add even one more hour to your life?
Have faith and donate. You’re about to see how God provides for you.
It is an act of obedience to pay tithes.
In addition to being an act of obedience, tithing is a spiritual practice. There must be a reason why God requires us to tithe, but I can’t fathom it. Because God is all-powerful and has a purpose and plan, it is my responsibility to carry out God’s will with enthusiasm, even if I am unable to comprehend it. We must always obey His commands.
“Each of you should give what you have determined in your heart to offer, not grudgingly or under force, because God loves a happy giver,” Paul writes to the church in 2 Corinthians (2 Corinthians 9:7).
One Expression of Love Is Tithing.
Giving back to the church via tithing is a great example of this kind of action. When we tithe, we give money to a church or ministry so that they may use that money to perform God’s work in the world, whether it’s making disciples, spreading the gospel, feeding the needy, or any number of other things.
Do not lay up for yourself riches on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal,” Jesus warns in Matthew 6:19-21. Instead, put your money where your heart is—in heaven, where neither moths nor vermin nor thieves can ever penetrate. Because “where your wealth is, your heart will be likewise.”
We are investing in God’s people and God’s home when we donate cheerfully to a church or ministry that serves the Lord. We are showing love to others in a manner that will benefit their spirits as much as their bodies.
Giving back to God via tithing is a humble act.
To humbly recognize that this wealth is God’s is reflected in the practice of tithing. By returning it to God, we acknowledge Him as our superior. God is ultimately credited as the source of all of the talents, knowledge, and abilities that enable us to succeed in our chosen fields. What we have here is not our own money, nor is it ours to keep or to call our own in any way, shape, or form.
Although we are compensated monetarily for our efforts, we are able to exert those efforts because to the blessings God has placed upon us. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like changing shadows” (James 1:17).
To strengthen my marriage, I’ve started tithing.
We’ve discovered that tithing really strengthens our bond as a couple. This verse is a reminder that God is a part of our future plans, whether they be for ourselves as individuals, for our relationships with others, or for our families as a whole. It’s not a union focused on the two partners, but on God. Together, we have committed ourselves to this endeavor. Our group gives happily because we know that the resources we have been given by God will be used to expand God’s kingdom on earth. This is a healthy acknowledgment that God is sovereign, not me, in a world that may be all about me.
These are just a few of the many ways in which I have found tithing to be a very effective expression of my love for God and neighbor. I’m interested in hearing your thoughts. When you tithe, do you feel God’s blessing?
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