Football and Tithing

So, it seems that while I am away for the weekend, studiously trying to be better at my occupation, my wife sits around watching football, football, football. (She even admitted that she watched the Dallas Cowboys game, which is good, since they are my team!) I have to say, I have never been more proud of her, except possibly the day on which she committed to spending her life with me.

A question has been raised in one of the comment sections on tithing. Just a few thoughts from the Bible, then from me personally.

First, Biblical tithing involved giving the first fruits of the gatherings to the Lord. Since they didn't really work with much "cash", the expectation was that the best of the crop/herd/vat would be given to the Lord. The word tithe itself roughly translates as 10%, as a guide for how much was returned to the Lord for his great abundance in giving.

Second, in the New Testament, Jesus speaks of people such as the Pharisees tithing things like dill seed. Here, it's pretty apparent that a precise 10% is intended.

Biblically speaking, everything belongs to God, and He graciously grants us stewardship over them during our time in this world. Since Jesus offered His life, in a technical sense, our "tithe" has been paid by Him. We no longer are bound by the law, especially in our giving.

This, then, gives us the freedom to be generous in our giving. To that end, Paul writes that we should give what we are able to, cheerfully, and with a thankful heart. Should you tithe 10%, but not have a joyful heart, you can do one of two things. First, you can let your heart be changed by continuing to give the 10% and let God do his work on your heart through that. Or, you can move to a level that you are comfortable with, and then view small increases as challenges of your faith, until you achieve a point at which you feel not only joyful, but cheerful.

When we think of just how much God has done for us, our hope is that we will be moved to give generously, just as we have been given to generously. Let that be your guide as you ponder what is the appropriate amount to give/tithe.