We don’t do it intentionally, but we do it.

We mislabel and falsely recognize acts of giving as generous.

I made a contribution to something recently, and the person responded back by saying thanks for the ‘generous gift’.

While I appreciate the effort to honor my gift, it made me realize that we misunderstand generosity.

Here’s how I think we typically define generous.

The larger the contribution = the more generous the gift.

Travel back in time to Mark 12:41-44 where Jesus is sticking his nose in other people’s business – watching people put money into the temple treasury.

Many rich people put in large amounts.

Was it at this point that Jesus stopped and took the opportunity to teach his disciples about generosity?

No.

Did Jesus point and say, “There. That’s what I’m talking about. That guy just dropped a whole mitt full of money.”

No.

A lady timidly slithers up to the container (as discreetly as possible) and drops in two coins.

At that moment, we recognize Jesus’ jubilance. Jesus has just witnessed generosity in its truest and purest form.

That woman, Jesus says, put in more than the rest. Generosity is not gauged by the number of zeros at the end.

The Generosity of Vegetables

Last week, my family and I traveled back to Lavora to say goodbye to the Christians there. When we left, they gave us the gift of a huge pile of sweet potatoes, bananas, pumpkins, and even a chicken.

What a tremendous act of generosity!

Those items could have been used to feed their family. They could have been used to sell in the market.

But they gave them as a warm gift.

Were Jesus there, I believe he would have commended those Christians for giving out of their poverty.

I left the experience challenged – challenged to grow in the grace of giving.

Has anyone ever given you a ‘small gift’ that you quickly recognized as the most generous gift you’ve received?

To leave a comment or easily share the article with your Facebook or Twitter friends click here -> When a Pumpkin Is More Valuable than a $1,000

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Take a deep breath.

You just did something that you’ve been doing ever since you were born.  You’ve been welcoming oxygen into your body.

You do this every day.  You do it without knowing it.

You are who you are because you continue to unintentionally intake oxygen every few seconds of the day.

I believe we as human beings learn habits, customs, preferences, and priorities without even knowing it.  We are like sponges sucking up (unconsciously) everything around us.

When my son was a couple of years old, he took his hand, slapped it on his head, and said, “Oh man!”

That simple act and phrase deeply stuck with me.

Why?

Because I do that when I forget something.

My son was learning.  Unconsciously sucking up everything around him.

I was teaching.  Unconsciously modeling behavior to my son.

That can be a very scary realization.  It’s even more frightening when Paul says don’t be conformed to the ways of this world, but be transformed (Rom. 12:1-2).

That means we, as Christians, cannot be sponges that take everything in.  We must develop a filter.

We need a system whereby we can consciously decided what things in our environment are healthy for our spiritual bodies and what things must be rejected.

This is especially true when it comes to topics such as personal finances, materialism, and consumerism.

I believe many Christians need to add a new level of intentionality and fresh filter to their finances.  When Jesus entered the home of Zaccheus, the wee little man, he had one approach to finances. But by the time Jesus left, Zaccheus transformed how he looked at finances.

Have I been transformed? Have you been transformed?

• We buy houses based on how much money the bank will give us.
• We spend money based on how much salary our boss will extend to us.
• We buy items based on either what we can afford or what type of credit limit we have.

Do we integrate faith into our financial decisions?

Thus, the question becomes – how have your finances been transformed by Christ (rather than conforming to the world around you)?

• Are you a copy cat of the world in how you spend money?
• Do you have any type of Kingdom purpose in what you are doing with your money? Are you just taking cues from your neighbors?
• When you were baptized, did your wallet get wet, or did you leave it on the shore unaffected?
• Are you a drone money manager who is doing what every other John Doe is doing with his money?

My wife and I were struggling with all of these types of questions as we were trying to figure out our financial call and our financial purpose.  We realized we had never intentionally decided what we should be spending money on or how we should be using our income.

The result?

Through prayer, study, and reflection we determined how much is enough.  We embraced a frugal and simple lifestyle.  We transformed how we think about money.

Then I wrote about book about what we learned.

The book, Transforming Your Financial Diet: 7 Steps to Simple Living and Generous Giving,  is available for purchase effective today.

If you want to head over to Amazon, you can read the first section for free or you can click here to learn more about the book.

To leave a comment or easily share the article with your Facebook or Twitter friends click here -> Stop Conforming: It’s Time to Consider a Financial Transformation

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Kids enjoying first taste of ice cream

This story almost seems too ridiculous to post.

*Almost*

2011 was a wonderful year for our family. We were blessed (in so many ways) beyond expectations and beyond measure.

We’ve always wanted to share our blessings with the community so that we can be living examples of why the city should rejoice when the righteous proper.

When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices; when the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy. Proverbs 11:10 (NIV)

As a result, we decided to host a New Years party and invite all the church members to join us.

We wanted it to be a feast that people wouldn’t forget. My wife and I spent two days cooking. We cooked sausages and chicken. We bought Coke and ice cream. We had so much food that everyone got to go for seconds and thirds, and we even had to send everyone home with a plate of food.

We even had some kids (6 year olds) who had never eaten ice cream before!

At the end of the party, one man said that his favorite part of the party was ice cream, Coke, and chocolate cake. Those are all things that are definitely a luxury here.

It was so much fun.

Now, it’s time for the silly Coke bottle story.

When we were finishing up everything, one lady asked for an empty Coke bottle so she could take cold water home with her. (Even cold water is a nice treat in the village areas.) I got a bottle and filled it from the cold water cooler. A second lady asked for a Coke bottle with water. I gave her one as well.

Then a third person asked for a Coke bottle with cold water. I went upstairs and I could only find one last Coke bottle.

This is the silly part.

I felt really protective of that Coke bottle! It was Saturday night, and on Sunday morning we go to church. (I hope that doesn’t surprise you.) Where we worship doesn’t have any public sources of clean water, so we always take a bottle of cold water with us. However, I knew that if I gave away this Coke bottle, we wouldn’t be able to take water.

That’s when it struck me. All of the food and all of the time preparing was convenient for me to give. It was giving according to my terms and conditions. Essentially, it wasn’t sacrificial because I got to choose what and when to give. I planned the party so that when everything was done, I’d still have all I wanted.

But, this Coke bottle was something I really wanted to have. Since I preach on Sundays, I often need water to keep me hydrated and clear my throat.

I didn’t want to part with the bottle. I know that’s silly. It’s a reminder of how much work God needs to do on my heart.

Since I knew I was attached to the bottle, I knew I had to give it away. Despite the hundreds of dollars I spent that night, the hardest thing I did was to give away an empty Coke bottle.

I remember thinking that if God wants me to go a Sunday without a bottle of water, then so be it … not my will.

After the party, I drove folks home. When I dropped off the last person, I looked between the seats, and guess what I found … an empty Coke bottle.

It was like manna from heaven.

Perhaps I’m reading too much into this little story, but I think God was reminding me that it’s OK to give up precious things because he’ll still take care of us.

It seems like there might be a Bible verse about that somewhere …

To leave a comment or easily share the article with your Facebook or Twitter friends click here -> A Silly Story About a Coke Bottle

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At Christmas, I believe an epic battle is taking place.

Theologically, Christians correctly find themselves on one side of the battle field. Yet, functionally and pragmatically, we may act as if we are in the enemy’s camp.

The battle is this: Is Christmas more about giving or receiving?

How about we move one step further and ask, “Is life more about giving or receiving?”

Any good little Christian boy or girl knows the answer.

Jesus said, it is indeed more blessed to give than receive.

But, do we live the right answer?

Don’t we also get caught up in the temptation to give priority and preference to me, myself, and I?

The Christmas List Example

Some families have the custom of creating lists to help each other know what to buy. Some of us even keep well maintained ‘wish lists’ at our favorite online retailer.

But Christmas lists help feed that selfish desire I feel. It forces me to focus on my needs, wants, and desires. Yet, I sanction it because I’m doing it for the sake of others. (I love how the mind can rationalize things!)

I’m not saying a Christmas list is evil, but lists are temptations that give us excuses to feed our materialistic hunger.

What would a Christmas list look like if I truly believed Christmas was more about giving? What would Jesus’ Christmas list look like?

I suspect such a list would have more or as many items for others as it does for ones own self. I’ve never really done that with lists – focused as much on others as I have on myself. But what if I did? Wouldn’t it teach me to find joy when others are blessed? I would nurture my ability to feel more blessed when others receive something instead of myself.

Fortunately, I’ve started noticing that trend in my own family. Charities and organizations we trust are being listed as viable gift options. Kudos to my siblings and parents for their example.

Still, I feel awkward not giving to someone because it feels like they don’t get a gift.

The Jesus Birth Example

I grew up being taught that Jesus wasn’t born on Christmas, and so we downplayed Jesus’ role in Christmas. (If that’s a new teaching to you, I’m sure it seems really strange). I still don’t think the baby was born in a manger on December 25th, but I’m fine celebrating Jesus birth on December 25th. I know someone who was adopted and they don’t know his real birthday, so his mom just randomly picked a day.

On that day, so long ago, we were blessed with the greatest gift of all.

The angels rejoiced. The shepherds celebrated. The wise men worshiped.

We received the gift of a Savior.

I’ve found in my own life when I focus on what I have and what I’ve received, I feel like blessing others more. When I focus on what I’m missing and what I lack, I focus on myself more.

So, it seems that during the holiday season, if we reflect on the birth of Christ, we’ll be reminded of the greatest gift of all. That should spur us on to focus on giving and not just receiving.

I pray that in the holiday season we can learn the art of giving. To really have joy when others receive. To promote it. To pursue it. Then, I pray that by God’s power, it can stick with us for the rest of our lives.

What do you do to help keep Christmas focused on giving instead of receiving?

To leave a comment or easily share the article with your Facebook or Twitter friends click here -> The Giving and Receiving Christmas Battle

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Rumor has it that Evangelical Christians give about 2% of their income.

I tend to be a little skeptical about statistics because they are too easy to manipulate and say what you want them to say.

However, I think we can all confidently say the giving stats (as defined by giving to a local church) in North America are pretty pathetic compared to our incomes.

And anytime there is bad news, we expect there to be some pointing of fingers.

So, let me be the first to point the finger.  (Don’t worry, I’ll judge everyone by making sure we’re all to blame!)

Churches Point the Fingers at Members

Typically, here’s what happens around this time of year (budget time for many churches).

Problem: The leadership recognizes that the membership is giving less than they should.

Traditional Solution: They ask one of the ministers to do a sermon about the importance of giving.

The Unaddressed Question:  Why is it that members are giving less?

• Do they need help learning how to manage their money?  It’s is a pragmatic or a spiritual issue?
• Is there something wrong with the way the leadership is handling the money that needs to be addressed?
• Have members been properly educated about the reason for giving?
• Will there be a conflict of interest if someone paid by the church encourages those in the church to give more?

Members Point the Finger at Churches

Problem: Members see how church funds are being spent / allocated, and they don’t always agree.

Traditional Solution: Members give less and less to their local church and find other more ‘meaningful’ ways to use their money.

The Unaddressed Question: Why is it that churches are spending our money the way they are?

• Do church members need to be sitting down with leadership for some meaningful discussion on how church budget should be allocated?
• Is there something wrong with our hearts when we want to control the final destination of every dollar instead of entrusting that decision to others?
• Are we properly acknowledging the fact that church mission and church administration are legitimate uses for church funds?

The Way Forward

I think this giving drought (as measured by members giving to churches) will only continue to worsen.

Younger generations of Christians want their money to ‘count’.  Often times, this involves social justice.  Emerging generations have different values than the builder generation.  One generation saw church expansion as a legitimate means to honor God.  There is a younger generation that wants to see less spent on ‘upkeep’ and ‘administration’ and more spent on ‘actually helping people’.

Currently, it is the building generation that still gives the majority of church funds.  Younger generations are taking their toys with them and playing in another sand pit.

I think church leaders and church members need to be having serious discussions about the issue of giving.  This is especially true when members are discovering ‘better’ things to do with their money.  The discussion must involve the different generations represented within the church.  I can almost promise you they will think the ‘most important thing to do with money’ is vastly different.

I think members need to be speaking more (by using words, not withdrawing funds), and leaders need to be listening.

Do you give all of your money to the local church?  Does how your church spends money impact how much you give?  What proactive things can be done to help encourage members to believe in the financial mission of the church?  Do you know churches that do this well?

To leave a comment or easily share the article with your Facebook or Twitter friends click here -> The Giving Drought | Who’s to Blame?

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I’ve lost count of how many of my ‘readers’ have told me I’m not going to heaven.  Some have even been as kind to tell me where I’m going instead.

So, what’s caused all this ruckus?

People have sent me emails asking for money, and I’ve said no.  Those very same people have turned on me and called me a barrage of nasty things.

This is quickly becoming a pet peeve, so I decided to address it publically on the blog (this way I can point people to this post rather than constantly trying to explain/defend myself).

First, I apologize publically for the fact that my blog name miscommunicates.  Money Help for Christians means I’m trying to help Christians with their finances.  It does not mean I have an unlimited supply of money to give to every citizen of every country in God’s beautiful world.  I am an individual, not an organization.  There are no headquarters behind Money Help for Christians.  The only staff I have is my wife who proofreads everything.  By the way, my only employee (my wife) works for free.

4 Things We Need to Understand When People Say No to Our Requests

Reality #1:  Money is a limited resource. 

It is unlimited in the sense that someone with enough drive, passion, and ability can always get more.  It is limited in the sense that what you have is what you have.  As such, when you manage your money you will be forced to say yes, and you will be forced to say no.  Deciding when to say yes and no can be difficult.

A Christ follower will likely be forced to say no to some very, very good benevolence and ministry opportunities.  I know I have. 

Setting boundaries and saying no are not anti-Christian characteristics.  God blesses us when we say yes, but he does not expect us to give to others what he himself has not given to us.  We don’t create the wealth.

Reality #2: The kingdom of God is larger than Me or You.

When I was fundraising to become a missionary, some churches and individuals told me they could not or would not support our work.  The first human impulse is to think that they must have some type of character or spiritual flaw.  That is not the case.

Instead, it means they’ve accepted other ministries that they feel called to fulfill.  May God bless and not curse them for that.

Saying no to me is not saying no to God or his Kingdom.

Reality #3: More character is revealed in a ‘no’ answer than a ‘yes’ answer.

When you attack a potential donor when they say no, they only feel more confident that the decision they made was the right one.  When we ask for a gift, it is just that – a gift.  We have no right to it, and we have no right to demand it.

Personally, when someone – on the phone or in person – starts to push me, I immediately withdraw the consideration of my gift.  My stewardship responsibility is too important to allow the strongest sales pitch to win my gift.  I give with intentionality, and when someone assumes to know my motives, they are closing the door to my heart, not opening it.

If God has blessed a person, we need to trust that God’s wisdom is working in that person’s life.

Reality #4: Accountability is healthy in any giving context.

I couldn’t tell you the number of emails I’ve received (at least 2-3 a week) to send money to a random bank account for xyz. 

I believe stewardship extends beyond what we earn and includes what we give.  To be wise with the funds we have includes being wise with how we give our money.  Each year, my wife and I decide what organizations and individuals we’ll give to.  Then through the year we’re always open to new needs and God’s working.  But whatever we give to includes some level of accountability.  I think that makes God smile, not want to curse a person.

However, that also excludes giving to anyone who is not accountable for the funds they receive.

Conclusion:

There is a desperate need in this world for things like food, health services, and education.  My heart does hurt for the suffering of fellow man.  If you are in a position of need, you are more than welcome to ask the body of Christ to help.  If, however, an individual says no, you must recognize that it may be because they are involved in other good works in the Kingdom of God.

To leave a comment or easily share the article with your Facebook or Twitter friends click here -> When People Won’t Take No for an Answer – And They’re Asking for Money

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Every Friday I try to feature a giving story here at MH4C.  We haven’t had any submissions lately, so things have been slow.  However, if you’d like to submit a giving story, you can contact me.  Learn more about my request for giving stories.

The following giving story was submitted by an MH4C reader, JJ.

God Will Provide

This is a story about how God himself provided many gifts to my wife and I through several sources.

*****
On January 11th I went back to Paraguay to get married and bring my wife back to the US.  She didn’t have her visa paperwork approved yet, but we had made the wedding plans long before and were going to proceed in faith.  I took two weeks paid and two weeks unpaid leave from my job to make the trip. We had people in Paraguay and the US praying for her papers to go through in time for a January 31st return to the States.

Her papers were not approved when we needed them to be, but I was not leaving without her.  We ran the risk of losing plane tickets, but I also ran the risk of damaging my credit.  I had no vacation time to use, so I was staying in Paraguay with no pay.  Bills were going to be due, and I didn’t know how they were going to be paid. We were close enough that it could have been a matter of days but unsure whether it could actually be a matter of weeks. If I went home until they were ready, I would have definitely lost several thousand dollars in plane tickets (because of the need to purchase a flight to go back when the papers were done).  In faith I stayed, and God was faithful. We only ended up losing a $300 flight. Everything else was changeable without penalties, something that I considered a miracle in itself.

One of the things I had to do to get her papers approved – something I didn’t know going down there – was complete my taxes.  So several months early, and in 4 hours, I filed my taxes and learned I was going to get $6,000 back.  Even though I would have gotten that money anyway, I was amazed at God’s provision: the moment I thought I’d run out of money, I had quite a bit more than I would have had with a paycheck.

After I told my boss I wasn’t going to be able to be back at work at my scheduled time, I was told I could work from Paraguay until we were ready to come back to the US.  That meant I didn’t lose any time and started getting my paycheck again.

Once we were back in the US, we checked the mail one day and found a check for $800 from church. We honestly didn’t know what to do with it.  We had gone from being worried about not being able to pay my mortgage to having more money come in at once than we even needed.  I emailed our secretary and told her we didn’t need the money and could give it back, but she said it had been donated to us specifically.  Because of the extra funds, my wife and I decided to donate a large portion of it all to others in need.  Most of the rest went to debt repayment (some of it we used for house wares and such).

God used these experiences to teach my wife and I a couple things.  He specifically was teaching her that He will take care of her even in a foreign country.  She wants to move back to Paraguay as soon as possible (I do too), but my debt is preventing that from being within the next couple of years.  She has been praying for God to take away my debt, and He showed her that He can – and maybe He will, even if little by little.  I had also specifically been praying for the ability to be more generous, and through the generosity of others we were able to.

I directly credit the Lord for the financial gifts my wife and I received during this time, and it surprises me the people He chose to use.  Nothing is too big or too small for Him.  It’s humbling to receive such blessings (and I’m usually hesitant to call money a blessing, but in this case it was), but it only reinforces the belief I have that God blesses us so that we can bless others.

*****

Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” (Genesis 22:13-14 NIV)

To leave a comment or easily share the article with your Facebook or Twitter friends click here -> Giving Story | More Than Just Financial Provision

Other Great Articles:

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Five years ago, I had an answer to a common question.

The question, “How does one improve the standard of living amongst the poor?”

My answer (and the answer most people give), “Education.”

But today, I’m a lot more skeptical of education.  It might not be education in general, but at least the educational system here in PNG.

Here’s what happens when you get an education here in PNG.

1. Parents make a huge financial sacrifice to get their kids enrolled in school (Western style school system where they learn to reading, writing, and arithmetic).
2. Students sometimes work hard in school and sometimes don’t. 
3. The student may or may not graduate.  If the student graduates, she will be able to be one of 10+ people competing for an open job.
4. If the student does not get a town job, she returns to the village to tend to a garden.

I see two flaws in this approach:

1. Parents assist children based on a obligation to give their kids the best opportunity. The Western world has convinced people education is the key.  As a result, parents pay school fees even when the kid doesn’t care a lick and spends every weekend drinking.
2. You are guaranteed to lose money (in the form of school fees/tuition).  In the end, the child may or may not get an education.

There’s a lady I know (she who shall not be named) who has a kid she wants to get into a vocational school.  The kid was very irresponsible in school so I’m surprised he was even accepted.  The annual school fee is K3,000 (about $1,000 USD).  The lady lives off of money she makes by baking and selling things in the market.  Based on her income, it is going to take 1,500 hours worth of work just to pay the fees for her son. Also, she is a single mother and has three other kids.  To put it in perspective, for a person who makes $20 an hour, that would be like paying $30,000 for one child to go to school for one year.  That’s $30,000 out of the $41,600 that person makes.

That is insane to me.  No way!!! I wouldn’t do it.  That is way too high of a view of education for me.

The Alternative is Small Business

What if that very same lady took that K3,000 and had her son (or herself) start a small business?

In the process, the son would get an education.  Sure, it is not a formal education, but learning how to run a business is important. 

The money invested in a business can offer an education and has the potential to earn a profit instead of be lost (in school fees).

One of the big reasons I started the small business lending program was that I believe business (experience) is a better way to get an education.

Final note:  In this article, I’m specifically talking about school above the sixth grade.  It is helpful for every world citizen to have an opportunity to learn the basic skills of reading, writing, and arithmetic.  However, beyond that, it might be better to focus on life skills instead of academic skills, especially in a place like PNG..

 Have I lost touch with reality?  Is education always the answer to everything?

To leave a comment or easily share the article with your Facebook or Twitter friends click here -> What Role Does Education Play in the Eradication of Poverty?

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I received the following question from a reader.  As you’ll see, the question is about tithing, faith, and testing God.

Hi Craig,
I’ve been married for 16-plus years and my wife and I made some money mistakes early on in our marriage (neither of us had parents who taught us how to handle money or make a budget). We have never been unwise with money (buying trailers, boats, going on vacations, etc.), but we have been hit with medical bills and car repairs that have led to huge debt. Our most recent hit was last July when my wife had to undergo emergency back surgery that added to further debt with our budget and finances we already didn’t have to accommodate it. We will be paying monthly on these bills for more than a year.
But it has always been our hearts to tithe and step out into faith in doing so. To start the new year of 2011, our pastor was giving some great sermons on walking out in faith and into the "wet ankle zone," so I decided I would do that and tithe in faith, knowing that my checkbook was reflecting a huge negative in its balance, but my wife and felt led to turn it over to the Lord and give anyway.
Well, like many times in our marriage when we’ve walked out on faith with tithing, we go burned again. I don’t know what to say other than we are so confused about this area of tithing that God says "test me on" only to see is get hit worse than before.
Every time we have tried to tithe out on faith in our marriage, feeling strongly this is what God wants us to do, we fall further into debt. I just looked at my checking account and we got hit five times for overdraft charges on five checks.
I don’t know what to say other than my wife and I are frustrated with God beyond belief. He says to test him in the area of tithing, yet when we always have in the past (including in January), we have been come up short in our finances with no provision or sign of hope financially.
I’m at my wits end and don’t know how to respond with this situation and how God wants us to act. Please advise of what you would do in this situation.
Thank you for your concern and your reply.

I have already shared my thoughts on giving/tithing in debt.

Is testing God a good motive to give?

You’re probably not a real Christian if you haven’t heard someone refer to Malachi 3:10 and say, “Test me in this [bring the whole tithe into the storehouse]”.

I’m going to start off with a few general observations:

1.  These are situational words to specific people in a specific situation.  Our job is to determine how our lives parallel the lives of the recipients.

For example, you can’t hardly insist, as a Christian, that every Christian drink wine (1 Tim. 5:23).  I say that even though Paul encouraged Timothy to drink wine.  Why?  These are situational words to a specific person in a specific situation.  We certainly wouldn’t pass these teaching on to a recovering drunkard, would we?

Brief Analysis of Malachi 3:10

Judah has been unfaithful to God (2:11).  The worst part is that Judah thinks herself innocent (2:17).  Now, judgment is on its way (3:2), but Judah stands with bloody hands.  They are sorcerers, adulterers, perjurers, those who defraud their workers, and those who oppress widows and the fatherless.  And they do not fear God (3:5).

What these people need is a renewal and a reformation in their love of God (expressed through the practice of justice).  God, being a gracious and compassionate God, offers this nation an opportunity to test him.  What a gracious allowance this is because, in the Bible, testing is often an act of disrespect to God.  God even offers a promise that he will open the floodgates of heaven if they test him in this area (2:10).

But, they are so hardened that, even with God’s gracious offer, they did not accept (3:14).

Does this offer extend to us today?

In light of the uniqueness of this situation and the normally abhorrent approach to testing, I would say that God graciously offered them an opportunity to test him.  He was not, however, setting up a new covenant relationship where he encourages his followers to develop a habit of testing him according to their own agenda.

Conclusion:

God initiated and God ordained testing is encouraged in this passage.  However, this passage does not encourage us today to test God, even in our giving.  The danger of being wrong (testing God when he does not invite us to do so) is, in many ways, just as intimidating as the corollary (not testing God when he allows us to).

I don’t think that testing God is the best reason for us to give.  Yes, we do need to step beyond our comfort zone in an effort to trust God.  But trusting God and testing God are completely different things.

Testing is more often a no-no in the Bible.

I’m guessing we all remember Matthew 4:7 where Jesus quoted Deut 6:16 and said, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”

Thus, we can hardly go anywhere in this discussion until we figure out when testing is bad (Deut 6:16) and when testing is good (Mal. 3:10).

The Bible Knowledge Commentary goes as far as to say that during the temptation of Jesus, the Devil is reminding Jesus of Malachi’s prophecy in order to encourage Jesus to test God.

The problem with testing is this – through testing we can be communicating to God that he works for us.

We might think, “God, I know you provided me with a job.  I know you gave me the income necessary to provide for my family.  However, I’m going to quit my job and trust you to feed my family.” 

We cannot step outside of God’s plan and provision and then say, “Prove it” and “Give it.”  If we do that, we are essentially saying, “God, I no longer work for you, but you now work for me.”

Therefore, we know that God is a God with boundaries (the teaching and will of God).  If we live faithfully within those boundaries, we can expect that God will provide our needs (not luxuries).  But we cannot step outside those boundaries and say,  “Come on, God, show your power.” 

The Israelites made this mistake in Exodus 17:4 when they said, “Give us something to drink.”  They forgot their position was in submission to God, but they started demanding God to provide for them on their own terms. They tested God (Ex. 17:7) because they asked, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

Thus, the testing language we use today must jive first with the events at Massah and Meribah.

God has proven that he is faithful.  There is no need to test him. To test God means that we need God to continually reveal his ability to provide.

do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me, though they had seen what I did.

Is Tithing a Commandment That is Binding on New Testament Christians?

Ultimately, I think this whole discussion rests in the answer to this one question.  If tithing is a commandment, then when we tithe, we live within the commandments, expectations, and will of God.  Thus, we know that if we do what God asks, he will provide.

However, if tithing is not a command, then one could, without judgment, stop giving until their financial situation improves.

I do not believe tithing is a command that is binding on Christians, but I do believe it is a healthy spiritual discipline for Christians.

I don’t think anyone who does not tithe because of legitimate financial reasons will be judged guilty and held accountable for such an act.  No one’s toes will be held to the fire if they don’t give.

Here’s why:

1. God’s heart has always gone out to those who are poor and struggling financially.  I believe God would rather remove their pain, burden, and suffering – not add to it. 
2. The NT does a very poor job teaching us it is a command.  It could overlook the topic because

(a) it was replaced with a new method of giving (proportionate giving)

(b) everyone knew and practiced the tithe so there was no need to write to remind people of it.  Since in contexts where the NT does talk about giving, Paul never insists on a tithe. I think we ought to embrace proportionate giving instead (which Paul does talk about).

I do, however, believe that giving even when you’re in debt can be a blessing.  I teach the poor to give because it is a spiritually healthy habit.  However, the act in and of itself does not develop spirituality. 

Thus, in many ways, I view tithing as I view the Sabbath.

The Sabbath, as a reminder, was one of God’s top ten rule.  The tithe was not.

Yet, of the Sabbath Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27 NIV)

The Sabbath, like all of God’s commandments, was given with the intention to bless us.  However, because of how people applied, interpreted, and added to the Sabbath commandment, it ceased to be a blessing to man.  Jesus gives the stern reminder that the Sabbath is for man.

Can we apply the same lesson to tithing?

Is tithing made for man, or man made for tithing?

There is no doubt that in the Old Testament God has a preferential treatment for the poor.  The poor get breaks that God does not extend to the wealthy.

In Luke 2:22, Jesus’s parent’s offered two doves because of their financial situation.

Those in financial need were never expected to give the same sacrifices as those without.  Thus, giving was intended to be a blessing, not a burden.

The Relationship Between Faith and Giving

Faith is an expression of submission, not testing.

In the Gospels, those who showed great faith were willing to put their lives in the complete trust of Jesus despite social consternation, family neglect, personal exposure, and more.

Some people think that we don’t have faith if we buy insurance. (See comment on my Should Christians Buy Insurance post)

Of course, the key point here is that faith is trusting God in avenues where he asks us to trust him.  Faith does not determine the rules of the game and then submit to those rules. 

Preservation in danger is divinely pledged: shall I then create danger, either to put the promised security skeptically to the proof, or wantonly to demand a display of it? That were ‘to tempt the Lord my God,’ which, being expressly forbidden, would forfeit the right to expect preservation (Critical and Explanatory Commentary by Fausset, Fausset, Brown, and Brown).

Too often we think faith guarantees a certain result.  Instead, faith is better expressed in these words of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego:

If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” (Bold mine. Daniel 3:17-18 NIV)

Therefore, I do think giving can be an act of faith.  In obedience, we give to God, and as he sees us through the process, our faith can increase.

But God doesn’t always see us through in the ways we expect. 

As a missionary, my faith has grown through the fundraising process.  God has provided for our family from the most unexpected sources. 

Because of the connection between faith and giving, I don’t recommend that a person stop giving.  Similarly, I don’t recommend that a person who is busy to stop praying.  Perhaps now more than ever, that person needs to be praying. 

Thus, I’ve never once told someone I think they should stop giving (remember I do live in a country where people make $750 per year).  I also think the poor should give.  However, I have often asked people to revisit why they give (especially if they have unhealthy or wrong motives). 

Still, if a person were part of a church where I worked and they decided to stop giving or reduce giving for a season so they could clean up some financial errors, I would support them.  I would stand alongside them and help them make changes so they could resume the discipline of giving as quickly as possible.

If you decide not to give for a season, I would suggest that you follow the guidelines at the bottom of this post.

As I open the door to comments, let me say that all constructive comments will be approved; others will not.  Remember, our point here is not to debate technical terminology, but to help a person discover God’s will for their giving.

What advice would you give to this reader?  Why?  What other lessons, scriptures, or concepts would you encourage them to explore?

To leave a comment or easily share the article with your Facebook or Twitter friends click here -> Tithing, Faith, and Testing God

Other Great Articles:

1. Giving Story | Does $5 Matter to God?
2. Hey, God, Where’s My $1,000 Check?
3. Bible and Money: Faith Foundations of MH4C

Every Friday I try to feature a giving story here at MH4C.  If you’d like to submit a giving story, you can contact me.

Today’s story is from an MH4C reader, WS.

When I left the Navy and went to work in with my current company, I took a 20% pay cut. My wife and I had expected this, it was a career change and I wanted a job with less travel (we didn’t like being separated for 6 months at a time).

A side note here, as a Naval Flight Officer, my flight pay increased dramatically ($400 per month) 2 years before I was eligible to leave the Navy. The last 2-3 years in the Navy my pay went up significantly. Many of my peers spent their pay raise on car payments or other obligations. Making the decision to leave the Navy very difficult.

We were able to weather the pay cut after leaving the Navy, but our error was our level of giving. We naturally reduced the amount we were giving, but we also reduced the percentage of income we were giving. We fully intended to increase our percentage back to the 10% level when my income rose.  I would share the rationale we used to justify this change, but why?   The rationale was wrong, so no need to share it.

For the first few years with my company, I worked hard to get my salary back to the level it was in the Navy. While my salary increased the first 2-3 years, I didn’t get back to the amount I earned in the Navy. I was focusing on what I could do at work to get my income back to where it had been, but I wasn’t getting there.

One weekend while visiting my parents, the minister preached an effective sermon on giving. I realized I was contributing more to my 401k than I was to God.

My wife and I resolved we were going to return our giving to where it should be. We couldn’t do it overnight (we had a mortgage and car payment), but we started cutting expenses and giving more to others wherever we could.

Less than a year later, my company announced a pay freeze. My boss received some funds he could use to provide raises and retention bonuses to key employees, and I was fortunate enough to be selected. This raise put me above the mark I had been trying to get to before.

Ever since then, we have been careful not to worry about salary (I still ask my boss for raise occasionally, but I don’t worry about it), but to focus more on where we can give. Since our change in attitude, my salary has grown significantly, always staying ahead of our needs.

Very recently, our congregation had a special collection for benevolence. The collection was about 2 weeks prior to the time I would learn what my bonus was for the year. My wife asked if we could afford to give $xyz. When I responded, “it depends on my bonus…..” She reminded me of our focus on giving first and then worrying about income. We gave the $xyz and my bonus was significantly more (20X) than the amount we gave.

While I can’t promise to others to worry more about giving and your salary will increase, I can say for us the re-alignment of priorities helped tremendously. We also understand the salary could decrease as fast (or faster) than it increased. Whatever happens, we intend to focus on opportunities to give and share our blessings.

It’s amazing to hear stories like this because in the midst of all our concern about income, God is quietly working out all the details!

Have a blessed weekend.

To leave a comment or easily share the article with your Facebook or Twitter friends click here -> Giving Story | Focus on Giving First

Other Great Articles:

1. A Silly Story About a Coke Bottle
2. Giving Story | More Than Just Financial Provision
3. Giving Story | When the Tables are Turned