Ones, twenty’s, even some one-hundred-dollar bills just strewn across the kitchen countertop. My husband, let’s call him builder man, left them there. Oh, to be so non-chalant about money, I thought to myself. If it had been mine, I would have scooped it all up, stacked it neatly in a pile, counted it, and started thinking about what I could have bought with it. You know the expression about money, “it’s burning a hole in my pocket.” That’s how I feel if I have some cash. I just want to spend it. But that’s not the best way to be with money. We are told to be responsible with our money. Has anyone ever told you about tithing? The bible says we are to tithe ten percent of our income for kingdom of God. Malachi 3:10 says, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.” Other places in the bible talk about tithing also, such as Nehemiah 10:37 and Ezekiel 45:14.
Builder man is a generous giver. He gives to missions regularly. He gives to people who can not pay him back. He gives to good causes. Sometimes, hundreds of dollars. It took me awhile to get used to that. I wasn’t taught about tithing, other than the basket that is passed around at church. I love to give people gifts because I like to see the look on their faces when they open something they love or wouldn’t have bought for themselves. But builder man gets up early every morning, labors hard, comes home, works some more around the house and faithfully tithes without complaint. Builder man can put a thousand dollar check in the mail of his hard, earned money to a ministry and not even think twice about it. I wish I could have an attitude about money more like his when it comes to giving. I get a little nervous, thinking, “what if we are going to need that for something unexpected?” Builder man reminds me that, The Campus Crusade For Christ foundation says that for every dollar given, one person comes to know the Lord, through their Jesus Film Project ministry. So, he is thinking about saving souls. The bible says, “God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:7.
I know it is easy to worry about money, but the bible says, the Lord provides for our needs. Do you believe that? We are to keep an open hand and not clenched fists on our money. It’s God’s money anyway. Everything we own belongs to him. But he promises he will take care of us. In Malachi 3:10 that I mentioned earlier also says, “test me in this and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. We are to trust him with everything, including money. So why not try tithing and see what happens? You just may be surprised.
