I was once asked about the Christian practice of tithing (giving 10% of your income to the ministry of the church). The question was, "Do I tithe on my gross income or on my net income?" My answer was, "Yes."
Giving of our financial resources to support the work of Christ in our world (i.e. offerings to your local congregations, charity that supports causes you value, or people who are in need) is an important part of our Christian walk. I encourage everyone to tithe, give 10% of their income (gross or net, doesn't matter). The reason is that tithing can indeed bring you closer to God.
When we tithe we are able to say two things about our life. One, we say that we trust God to provide for us. We need not be worried but instead give freely and generously, trusting that we will have enough to live. Second, by doing so, we are able to receive the wonderful reward of being generous, something that we often forget when we cease to share our resources. Generosity is good for the soul and by being as generous as we can be, within reason of course, is an act of spiritual discipline that leads us to grow deeper in faith.
Jesus recognizes this inherent reward by cautioning against giving for the sake of being seen as a generous giver. When he says, "truly I tell you they have received their reward" he is reminding us that if our intention is to garner praise for ourselves, then that becomes the reward. But it is a hollow reward, nothing in comparison to learning to trust the Lord and support the Lord's work generously. This spiritual reward, a deepening and widening of our discipleship, is truly what changes our lives.
If you are tithing, I know that you have experienced this already. If you have not begun to tithe, I encourage you to give it a try (for a season perhaps). See how that changes your life and the lives of those around you.
Generous Lord, help us grow to be as generous in our giving as you have been with us. Amen.
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