Many of us grab a cup of coffee before heading to work every morning. Imagine you’re waiting in line at Starbucks, and the stranger in front of you turns and says, “I’m going to buy you a cup of coffee!” Most of us would not refuse a free cup of coffee. Now imagine that the same stranger hands you your cup of java and ten crisp one-dollar bills. As he heads to the door, he turns around and asks, “Can you do me one favor?” Immediately, you think, I knew there was a catch. “Can I have one of those dollars back to bless someone else?” You respond, “Sure, that’s easy. It’s your money anyway. Remember? You gave it to me!” So you hand him the dollar, and as he leaves, the stranger looks back and says, “Have a great day! You’re going to find favor!”
Your mind rushes to, “That’s kind of weird. I wonder who that cat is?” As you drive to work pondering what just happened, you wonder if God has given you a real life illustration of how He operates. Throughout God’s Word, we find numerous examples of what it means to obey and honor God. One of the greatest examples of honoring God is through tithes and offerings. God is clear that if you honor the Lord with the first of your harvest, then you will be blessed!
Leviticus 27:30
A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.
Malachi 3:10
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “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.
The reason many of us fail to tithe is because we struggle to believe that He is the true owner. Consider the analogy of the stranger with the coffee. God not only sustains us but also provides us with the means to meet our financial obligations. He serves as both our sustainer and the source of our tithes. Just as the stranger who handed you the ten one-dollar bills, God only requests one dollar in return. Why is this significant? Because our tithe serves as a direct reflection of our faith. Do we truly believe in God’s identity and provision? The Bible reminds us that He possesses the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalms 50:10-12). When we honor Him, it directly reflects our faith. By the way, if you don’t struggle with this, you’re probably not breathing. But let’s examine what the Word of God says.
First, who do the resources belong to anyway? Similar to the stranger with the coffee, the money belonged to him. Both the funds for purchasing the coffee and the ten dollars were his, yet he opted to share some with you. One of the greatest hurdles to giving arises when we perceive things as belonging to us. While God desires us to take pleasure in His provisions, He also expects us to return to Him what rightfully belongs to Him. In fact, Scripture says, we don’t simply give tithes; we bring them to the storehouse (Malachi 3:10).
If we gave tithes, it would mean we own them! “All the tithe of the land is the Lord’s…it is holy to the Lord (Leviticus 27:30)”. Like the stranger, we are given the responsibility to carry the tithe for a short period and bring it in. In fact, the only verse in the Bible that God says to test Him or try Him is through the tithes and offerings. It says in Malachi 3:10…” try me now in this and see if I will not open the windows of heaven!” Simply put, as we honor Him, He will bless us. If we steward well, He will give us more to steward. The servant who was given five talents and gained more was made ruler over many things. Remember, God doesn’t need your money; He made the money, but He is interested in our hearts and our faith. Abraham exercised his faith and was blessed.
Genesis 14:18-20
Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.
Our faith demands giving the first of our fruits, not the last! Why? Because fruit goes bad! It smells. God isn’t interested in our leftovers. This passage in Malachi about tithing with its promises begins by referring to robbing God and bringing a curse (Malachi 3:8). Imagine the stranger giving you the ten dollars, and then he asks for one dollar back, and you say no! Do you think he will want to give you more next time he sees you? When we are faithful with little, God then knows we will be faithful with much! Luke 16:10 says, ‘He who is faithful in the least is also faithful in much.’ Anytime we keep what belongs to God, it rots. We either spend it or lose it, or invest it! Whatever we do, it will never leave the earth! But when we give back to God what is His, we not only express our faith but also store up treasures in Heaven.
Matthew 6:19-21
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Our faith, when exercised, communicates two things. First, ‘God, thank you for what you have already done.’ Second, ‘I trust you with the first of my fruits.’ If we hold on to it, not only are we not storing up treasures in heaven, but sadly, we are also saying, ‘I don’t trust that God gave it to me!’
Back to the stranger scenario, what if he only asked you for one dollar back a week later when you bumped into him again, but he didn’t ask for himself? He asked so he could buy a meal for a widow. Worse, your wallet is flush with hundreds, and he asked for just one dollar. God is clear that we are to bring our tithes and offerings into the storehouse to provide for those in need. What’s the storehouse? The church. If you don’t have a church you attend regularly, maybe find one, or we at RTM can help you find one!
Why does the Bible talk so much about money? Because where our money is spent is directly correlated to our faith. If we believe that God is our provider, giving with joy becomes easier! Notice I say easier! Our wallets become a picture of our faith. Our faith must be expressed and exercised. As a business owner and money manager, I regularly remind myself that God gave me health, business, and even clients. Over the years, He has provided and given me opportunities to exercise my faith.
As He has blessed me, it gives me the opportunity to honor Him! Like the stranger, He provides and gives me the resources to honor Him. God is not only the provider but also the rewarder! Faith exercised is powerful because we are opening the windows of heaven where wisdom, faith, prosperity, protection, and relationship with Him reside. Men, learn the Word of God and apply the principles set out before you. Abraham, Moses, David, and Paul were all given opportunities to honor God and were blessed. We are given the same opportunities. Remember, faith never exercised is not faith at all.
Make it a great journey!
S.L. Thomas, RTM