Watch/Listen
Giving As If God Is First
Brian Mashburn
January 20, 2013
Audio Player
Tithing For The Joy of It
For every dollar that God puts in my pocket, a dime of it is put into the Southwest church storehouse.
Why do I do this, you may ask? To be a good example? To avoid hypocrisy when I encourage others to do it? Out of a duty that is based on the only consistent Biblical standard I can find? Out of gratitude to the church family who supports my life, family, and ministry? To submit to my elders? To test God's promises? To be less controlling? To develop my trust in God over money?
All of these have influenced my tithing over the years. I consider them noble and good and Christ-like. But now, I tithe for something that has come as a surprise to me, only found by practicing faithfully for years. I would not trade it for the world (or for any sum of money in it).
It is the feeling of being trusted by God. You know how it feels when someone trusts you here on earth? Imagine feeling trusted by the Creator of earth?
I can't overstate the joy of this! God knows that if He has a $10 need He wants met through His church, He need only send me $100. If He has a $100 need, he just sends me $1,000. Look, the feeling of being able to trust God is amazing. But the feeling of being trustworthy for God? Heaven!
There is not one other spiritual discipline that I have practiced that provides this with such measurable, real, and tangible consistency.
There are lots of good motivations to start, but in the end, I believe you will tithe for the joy of it.