Tithing, Giving, Stewardship

Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.
(Luke 3:11 – ESV)

The Bible has much to say about matters concerning money, possessions, contentment, etc. When talking about tithing (giving a tenth of our income to the local church or for ministry purposes), giving, and stewardship, there is much controversy, but the truth is that we are to be mindful of God more than our things and desires (Matthew 6:19-34).

Often you hear euphemisms, aphorisms, and the like, exhorting us that our possessions not possess us, that we ought to love God more than goods. You have probably heard it said, and I have said it and believed it also, that you should own your stuff, and not let it own you.

However, my understanding of this has grown and I do not end it there anymore. Now I know that I cannot simply say “own stuff, don’t let it own you”, because we do not own stuff, God owns it and He owns us, and He loans it to you. In the light of this truth, the question is not how much do I have to give, but how much am I allowed to keep?

Looking at the New Testament one realizes that giving ten percent is certainly not the standard, nor is it some lofty ideal, it is not, and it would be far below it. Instead of asking how much do I have to give in order to please God, I should be asking how much comfort do I have to surround myself with before I can be content that God loves me?

You don’t own stuff; it is on loan to you. You have control, but what is controlling you?

“Living For Today With An Eye For Tomorrow”©

Family Tree

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree…
(1 Peter 2:24 – ESV)

People are often very concerned about knowing or having you know about their “pedigree” or “heritage”. Many want to identify with their own “people”. They proudly wear their family crest, or the uniform or letters of their team, school, state, national or ethnic colors, or whatever else signifies something of significance to them. People spend lots of money trying to trace their family line, or map out a historical snapshot of their ancestry in a family tree. Some people actually believe that certain bloodlines and certain families are special or royal or destined for greatness compared to others. We all want to think and believe we are a part of something extraordinary, special, and we look for links that might relate us to someone of notoriety in the past, or some might even believe they were someone great in the past.

Well, whether or not you had some great great great forefather who was great isn’t the point as far as spirituality and destiny and the eternal goes. The truth is that there is a very special bloodline. It is the blood of Christ that makes Christians brothers and sisters. Our forefathers, no matter how noble they were, only gave us spiritual futility, as far as their bloodline is concerned. However, all Christians are blood relatives, a part of the family of God, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19).

So stop worrying about trying to be someone great based on someone else’s past greatness, and stop worrying that you aren’t so great compared to someone else. Your natural, human heritage, no matter how privileged, means nothing in the grand scheme of sin and redemption. We all need Jesus. No family line will save you from sin, and no heritage, family, cultural or otherwise, will relieve you from the need for redemption or place you at the front of some line. Instead of trying to be great we should just be grateful. Your brothers and sisters in Christ are far more important than some desire to be from good stock. All Christians are from God stock.

Look at the Cross of Christ, and there you will see the one family tree that truly matters.

“Living For Today With An Eye For Tomorrow”©

About That Change

…remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
(Acts 20:35 – ESV)

I am sure that everyone in their lifetimes has been the type of person who sees someone else get something good, and they feel like that person doesn’t deserve it, or that they deserve it more than the person who got it, or that they just wish someone would give them something like that, or notice them, or well, you know what I mean. We have all had to deal with being that way at one time or another, but have you ever met someone who is perpetually like that? It can be an emotionally draining experience to have to be around someone who is always looking out for someone getting something more than they feel they have. You know the mantra: “I never get to go.” “I never get invited.” “I wish I could have something nice like that.” On and on it goes. They are always looking at what someone else has been given, and they always have the same old song playing in their jukebox…woe is me, I never get anything that good.

Now for some who are like this, I’ll have to admit something, it truthfully does seem as if they are left out, left behind, or left alone, they don’t receive some of the good things others seem to always be getting. They truly don’t seem to receive too much in the way of favor or blessing, in a sense. Ah, but that is where we can see the problem; this type of person doesn’t know HOW to receive. It starts by being glad when others receive goods things. The pie of life doesn’t have a limited amount of slices. God is able to make all grace, whatever you need, abound to you (2 Corinthians 9:8). You need to learn to receive. It starts with giving thanks.

The truth is that if you are looking for chances to despair you will notice that there is always someone getting something you don’t have. You should realize that there is always someone getting something you don’t want either. And you need to stop looking around at what everybody else is getting and start realizing all you have, even if it is close to nothing it is still something and you can and should and indeed you must be grateful for what others get, it is good for them. Stop worrying as if you won’t be content until these cosmic scales of fairness you dream of even out for you. Let me tell you they never will.

Instead of bringing your misery and envy to everyone, start being thankful for the grace others get. Considering your situation, nothing about that will change until you change your thoughts about that. Give others your gratefulness and perhaps you will start receiving something other than their displeasure. Include gratefulness for the good things that others receive and then perhaps you will start receiving good things yourself.

“Living For Today With An Eye For Tomorrow”©