Render To God The Things That Are God's

     There are two separate humerous stories about preacher's trying to raise funds for needed church activities.  The first preacher said to the church, "Concerning our drive to raise funds for the new building, I have good news and bad news.  The good news is we have located the much needed funds.  The bad news is, it is still in your billfolds."  The second preacher was more thoughtful. He began the finance drive by saying, "I want each one of you who will donate $100 to the building fund to please stand up."  As if on cue, the organist began to play "The Star Spangled Banner."
     Both of those should provoke us to think about giving.  There really should not be a problem for the Christian in the area of stewardship.  The only percentage of giving mentioned in the Bible is ten percent.  The Scripture boldly proclaims the tithe is the Lords.  There are those that try to evade giving the tithe to the Lord by saying that is an Old Testament practice..  Yet, Jesus upheld the giving of the tithe when he commented in Matthew chapter 23 of the Pharisee's practices by saying, "Woe unto you scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites, for you pay tithe of mint, anise and cumin, and have omitted, judgement, mercy and faith.  These ought to have done and not to leave the other undone."
     Far to often we try to measure our giving my the amount we put in instead of by the amount we have left over.  Do not be misled into thinking that God is running a part-time organization.  Yet so many behave as if that was what God was doing.  We want to offer to Him our leftovers:  left over offering, left over time, left over talents.  God expects the first-fruits, not the left overs.
     The story is told of the business man who was having trouble in making ends meet in his business.  He came to the pastor and asked for help.  The pastor in his counseling advised the man that he should consider God first and give unto God that which was rightfully His--the tithe.  The man agreed and his tithe only amounted to ten dollars per week.  Over the course of a few years his business expanded to where his tithe was running twenty thousand dollars per week.  The man returned to the pastor and said that he could no longer afford to pay the tithe.  The pastor reminded him how important it was to pay the tithe and said, "Let's get down on our knees and ask God to reduce your income to the point where you can afford to pay the tithe."
     Back in 1958 Doris and I stood before the preacher and he asked, "Charles do you take the woman that you hold by the right hand to be your lawful wedded wife?"  How foolish of me if I had answered, "No, I can't afford her."  Love would not allow me to say such a thing and love should settle the question once and far all for the man or woman considering the act of tithing.