Tithe and offering.. something that is somewhat of an awkward topic and untouched territory for many. It’s something most don’t like to discuss, including myself because I keep my money matters very private. However, what we learned in church about it was incredibly eye opening for me; I was able to see and realize the importance of tithe and offering through a completely different lens and hopefully it’ll help you see it in a more positive way as well.
I barely ever tithed – Growing up, my parents always tithed. As a little girl, I simply thought it was one of the rules to being a Christian. My parents threw me a dollar or two every Sunday as my contribution. I was even confused when I saw that people didn’t tithe, but again, I was a little kiddo, so it was one of those, ‘mmm… oh well!’ thoughts. But as years passed, I became one of ‘those’ guys. I just didn’t tithe much during the years in which I definitely could have. I actually didn’t begin giving offering consistently until a little over a year ago. Prior to that, it was just small amounts.. $5 here, $10 there, $20 if I was in a good mood, but never consistent; just what I had left at the moment. I wasn’t making much money at the time, always trying to stretch my dollar, so to me, giving 10% was too much. In my mind, 5-7% was good enough. In my mind, “It’s the thought that counts” was good enough.
Giving became more frequent when I worked for the Dodgers, but still very sparingly. It wasn’t until I started blogging. I’m not sure what provoked me to suddenly obey but I think a lot had to do with me stepping out in faith hoping that blogging and influencing would take off for me as a career. It was a wobbly transition for me, quitting my job and laying around stagnant with no real direction in life. So I guess I felt I owed it to God as a thank you for blessing me when I landed paying collabs. After all, He provided me with the income so it’s only right that I give him a portion of it! But too, and I say this shamefully, some of my motive was out of fear.. fear that if I didn’t tithe, He would not present to me more paid collabs.
The epiphany – Then came last Sunday’s sermon where I realized a few things. 1. We should NEVER fear that God will punish us. We should know right from wrong and what the Word says, but never live in fear of his punishment. 2. Tithing/offering really is one of the biggest forms of surrendering yourself to God. Humans are naturally controlling of their finances. It is easy to give God full control of other compartments in our life (that mean & unreasonable boss, your crazy kids, your unstable love life), but finances always seem to take the back seat. Can you truly say you give God all freedom to control your finances? 3. Tithing is a gift you give to God. It’s a mere thank you that he has even blessed you with a paycheck in the first place. You can view it as, “Well, I earned this job so obviously I’m going to make this pay”, however, whom placed you there? Who allowed you to land that job you have? In whose control was it? Yours? Or His?
Tithing and offering are much more than just giving money on a weekly basis because you now feel you have to. It’s a choice; something you do because you trust in God. It has everything to do with surrendering yourself and letting God control your money. I may make more next month, I may make less, but the motive behind tithing should never be associated with that. We give to God because we want to and because regardless of what we made that month, we’re showing to Him that it doesn’t matter, that he still deserves the same portion and that we are still happy to give to Him. It’s something that creates a deeper bond between you and God and living life for Him above all else. It’s not that He would punish me if I didn’t, however, it’s a self-bettering/improving thing for me too. I want to be 100% free from financial worries and burdens and be more surrendering of my finances. There are folks out there whom don’t make a lot but are COMPLETELY free of financial burden. There are also folks out there whom make a ton of money but are SLAVES to their finances.
Now, I will say that I do notice the more I give, the more God gives back. BUT that is not at all my motive for giving more. I do so because I love to and because I want to! Nothing more, nothing less. We should never give expecting God to return us a bigger favor afterwards. But if He knows our heart, He will bless you 10x more.
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?….. 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” – Matthew 6:25-34
How I give – As soon as I get any sort of paycheck, I first, set aside 30% for taxes, then give 10-15% to the church. I always tithe before I spend or pay bills. Why? Well, aside from it being something that I am excited to do (yes, I actually get excited to tithe haha), it’s because the more I give, the more blessings he throws my way as previously mentioned. Some may see it simply as, ‘You’re moving up and growing, so you’re bound to make more money’, and there is truth to that, however, God controls what companies contact me, which ones are willing to pay in accordance to my worth, etc. So again, the more you give to Him, the more He gives back.
What it’s taught me – It has also taught me that money really does not ‘rule everything around me’. Money isn’t my motivation, Faith is. I really don’t care about money in a socioeconomic status way contrary to what most may think with me being a blogger. I never dated for money (I was actually the one who paid for mostly everything all the time lol call me Sugga Mama Jay) and never picked friends based off their socio economic status. I am not one to envy those with mansions or insanely expensive things. Obviously, it is out of someone’s control if they end up with someone wealthy! I am in no capacity saying it is wrong, I’m simply stating that I’ve never actively looked for that trait in others. People can 5000000% spend their money any way they want, I have no right to tell anyone otherwise; it is not my business. However, money is not my first, second, or third love, and I love that that is something God continues to instill in me more and more as the years go by. Money is definitely not evil… BUT it can become the root of all evil if you let it control you instead of God control it.
The giving challenge – So, why am I talking about this? Our church started something called the 90-Day Challenge. The ’90’ comes from tithing 10% and living off of the remaining 90%. So for 90 days, they’re encouraging believers to live off of 90%. There are three steps to this challenge.
1. Start giving if you don’t. It doesn’t matter the dollar amount, just give and get in the habit of giving!
2. Tithe. Tithing means giving 10% of your income and living on the remaining 90%.
3. Offering aka going above and beyond. Offering is whatever you choose to give that exceeds your tithe amount. When I saw 90-day giving challenge a month ago on RockHarbor’s app announcements, I decided to start giving 15% before the Church even explained what it was. Now that I realized it’s just a call to action to get in the habit of giving, I have decided to double up on the above and beyond-ness and have given 50% of a big collab payout. I’m not doing it for bragging rights or to reap the benefits later down the line, I’m doing it simply because I want to. Because I trust God with my finances and that by giving a large amount, it shows I am unaffected by it and can still make things work and ends meet.
Here’s a fun one. Our pastor mentioned that one family actively gives 90% and lives on 10%. Now THAT is something to envy for sure. I don’t know if I’m there yet haha but it will definitely be a goal of mine to achieve one of these days!
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