How Should I Respond In My Giving?
The Bible clearly states that giving our tithes and offerings is an important discipline for every believer. However, many are at different stages of their spiritual journey when it comes to giving. Here are three practical steps. Choose the one that meets you where you are.
(click on the step for more information)
- Start Giving
- Start Tithing
- Give Beyond The Tithe
Start Giving
Maybe giving has never been a consistent part of your relationship with God. This could be because you were never taught the scriptural principles of giving, or maybe you have been in a difficult financial situation. Whatever the reason, beginning to give now can produces huge blessings in so many areas of your life. While tithing (giving 10% of our income back to God) is the biblical foundation of giving, you might be in a position of needing to grow toward that goal. Why not start giving something PROPORTIONAL, CONSISTENT, and SACRIFICIAL?
- PROPORTIONAL means that you start giving something to God that is proportional to where you are financially and in your faith to God.
- CONSISTENT means that you start giving this amount on a consistent basis (weekly, monthly, etc.) in order to establish the discipline of giving.
- SACRIFICIAL means that you really evaluate your lifestyle and choices and give back to God in a way that recognizes the great sacrifices He has paid to save us.
Beginning to give in this way, can truly grow your faith and establish a foundation of real worshipful giving.
Start Tithing
If consistent giving is something that is already a part of your life, then it's probably time to take the next step and begin tithing. Tithing is giving to God 10% of our income as a recognition of His provision in our lives. In truth, everything we have belongs to God and has been given to us by Him. Tithing is the worshipful recognition of that truth through our giving. Throughout the Bible, we see the role of tithing as crucial to the worship and lives of the people that God uses in powerful ways.
While we should never give to get, scripture repeatedly points to tithing as a trigger for God increasing His blessing in our lives. This blessing can come in many areas of our life from our physical well being to our spiritual growth to our financial health. Like reading our Bible, praying, and going to church, tithing is simply a crucial discipline that helps us grow spiritually in our relationship with God.
Give Above and Beyond the Tithe
If tithing is already a part of your spiritual practices, then undoubtedly you have already been experiencing the blessings that come into your life through giving. However, maybe it's time to take another step. Tithing is meant to be the foundation for our giving, not the ceiling. As believers, we can see amazing spiritual results in our own life and an amazing impact on the lives of others when we choose to give beyond the tithe and really open ourselves up to generous and sacrificial giving.
I am reminded of the story of a missionary visiting an Asian nation. As he traveled along a road with one of the pastors he came along side a man plowing his field with his son pulling the plow. The pastor pointed out the man and his son and told how they had come to Christ and had sold their only ox and given the money to the church.
The missionary marveled at the story, and stated, "That is a tremendous sacrifice."
That pastor replied, "They did not see it as a sacrifice. They were overjoyed that they had something to give."
The purest response to Christ's love and his sacrifice in redeeming us is not meeting a requirement of giving, or church attendance, or daily Bible reading. It is giving back to God in an abundant way, being thankful that we have something to give.