Will Tithing Make us Rich?

I've decided that I will occasionally branch out into some other topics that are on my mind, so without further ado................

Tithing in and of itself does not bring about some kind of financial benefit to the giver.  Giving 10% to the church does not bring with it a promise of financial gain.  There are many televangelists and prosperity preachers that would have you believe that if you give 10%, then you will see a reward and "get rich."  I do not find this anywhere in scripture and I believe it goes against the attitude in which God wants us to give.  2 Corinthians 9:7 "So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver."  We should be giving to support the ministry of the church with cheerful hearts, and not expecting some financial windfall in return. 

 Is it true that some people see a supernatural change in their financial position through sacrificial giving?  Sure, I can tell you that I have for certain. Did I get rich because of it?  Absolutely not.   Is it because I believe I obeyed a command to give 10% or because God has promised to give me money in return for my giving 10%? No.  It is all the effect of Faith and a trust in the promise that God will take care of all of our needs.  “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Matthew 6:31-33.   God promises to take care of our needs, but does not promise to make us rich financially. 

Understand that I am writing this from the perspective of someone who does not have enough money to pay my bills.  Are my needs met?  Yes.  Are my financial struggles my own fault and the result of my selfish ways and unwise financial decisions? You better believe it.  God doesn't promise to provide for all our desires and sometimes that means we will struggle through some poor choices we have made.  Can I live above my means and expect God to bail me out?  Last time I checked, I am not AIG and He is not the US Treasury.  I would say that seeing God’s people living above their means is one thing that just eats at me.   I think all youth pastors should teach sound financial principles starting in junior high and try to make sure that we’re sending our kids into the world with knowledge of the destructive power of money and debt.

I have many times wanted God to provide instant remedies to my problems.  I have more than once prayed to find a bag with $20,000 on the sidewalk or to win the lottery.  But God doesn't work like that.  That's how absentee fathers try to have relationships with their kids.  They buy them expensive gifts and send them money.  Money solves everything right?  Not to a Father who genuinely desires a relationship with us.  He wants us to count on Him.  He wants us to cry out to him and tell Him that we can't make it on our own.  He wants us to sit on His lap in His rocking chair, hold us tightly in His arms and tell us everything will be alright.  Our ‘abba’ wants us to need Him, because otherwise, we turn and run and try to make it on our own.

I think too often we hear testimonies from people who say they "started giving 10% and all their troubles were gone" or "I put $100 extra in the offering plate this week and I just found out I am getting a bonus at work" and we expect that to happen to us if we give too.  The giving is not the solution; the tithe is not the answer, God is.  Consider the life of David as way for me to explain what I mean:  David was the most ordinary guy imaginable.  Nothing David did or accomplished happened because he was special in any way.  Anything he accomplished was because of the extraordinary God that used him.  Our tithes do not provide security.  Our 10% does not promise a great "ROI."  But rather, God promises to care for us and provide what we need.  Is tithing a measure of our spirituality?  If the answer to all our financial problems was just giving 10%, would we not try to give more to gain more?  How does that show our faith in our creator?  I believe we would be drawn to the power of money and the act of tithing, rather than to God's promise to love and care for us.

We believe that about our salvation don’t we?  We believe that we are saved by grace through faith and not by works.  We can’t earn our way in to heaven because that puts the focus on our abilities and the things that we've done.  Therefore I would be better to keep doing good works to try to earn extra favor in God’s eyes.  At least, that’s how some might see it.  God doesn't love us more if we tithe, and He doesn't love us less if we only give 7.26%.

My views on money might be different if I had lots of it, but I feel I am blessed (yes, blessed!) to not have more than I can handle.  It is because of my financial struggles that I am growing closer to God and I would probably drift away were my situation different.  Handling our money God’s way requires discipline and sacrifice if we desire to be faithful to His guidelines.  I say guidelines because I don’t believe there are any specific commands about how we are to use our money.  We are obviously commanded to give and to take care of our family and those in need, but I believe that it is a function of how close we are to God.  The closer we grow, the more we give.