January 24, 2008
Pre-paid Tithe
The last few years I’ve been pre-paying my tithe. I think I began this quirk when I started sending my tithe to places other than my local congregation. Now, because I don’t see evidence of the tithe at work on a weekly basis, I find I’m not quite as personally invested as I once was. My offerings are still acceptable in the Lord’s eyes, but my pleasure in giving now mingles with feelings of having completed an obligation. At times I’ve written a check for a bi-annual tithe and simply crossed it off a ‘to-do-list’ without having much of an emotional attachment. I’m not too worried however, an older lady at church once told me, “God loves a cheerful giver…but He’ll accept money from a grouch too.”
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Gail;
-----We get the most of our concepts about tithing from Paul’s communications with the Corinthians regarding the offering for the poor Christians in Jerusalem. These Corinthians were directed to do very much like you are doing. They saved their money up for an opportune time to give, which, in their case, was when Paul collected it. They also knew where their money was going and what it was going to do there. But they were not able to see the specifics of their money being used, the individuals fed, clothed, and sheltered. This was left to their imaginations as the same is left to yours. Beyond that, the Bible makes strong intimation about giving for the support of men who devoted all of their time to serving the Lord, and it also directs us to give for the benefit of widows, orphans, and the impoverished. I am sure the Corinthians did this, too. Although I know there is very much payment for ministerial services at the family ministries program where you try to worship, I get the impression there is only a smidgeon for the widows, orphans, and impoverished.
-----But if some man swooned most of the Corinthians into serving the Lord according to his own personal ambitions, would Paul expect the Corinthians to stop supporting their local church? I doubt it. I imagine everyone at your church should contribute some to the effort going on there, just because it probably is not totally without service to the Lord. But they do have that giant cached up wad of offerings your leaders are trying to hatch into something of their own imaginations. I guess one could consider it to be a more than sufficient supply available for any proper service going on there currently. If they do not use it for that and their service is further diminished, then it is their problem before the Lord. When it is spent up, maybe they ought to be given a bit more.
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