Tithing is undoubtedly a touchy subject in the church, I mean honestly, does the church just want our money? I have met a handful of Christ followers that have admitted they don't feel comfortable tithing. How could handing over 10 percent of your pay check make sense on paper, especially if you're in the same financial situation as most... borderline poor! Let's face it, we never seem to have enough money to take care of financial obligations and desires. There are two common themes that I've realized why people don't want to tithe:
One, they simply don't trust the church and the leadership in the church, and so, in return they do not want to tithe. There's a simple solution to this... find a church you believe in. As Christ followers, we have a tendency to stay in our comfort zones. We feel that if we have attended a church for a long time, that there's a sense of obligation that comes alongside attending. That obligation is tithing. The thing is, is that tithing should NEVER be an act of obligation. It should be a willingness to give back to God what is rightfully His. In 2 Corinthians it says that "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." There you go, it's laid out pretty plain and simple there. I'd encourage anyone reading this to find a church they believe in and do what scripture calls us to do... tithe!
Another reason I've noticed why people don't want to give is because 10% of a paycheck is far too much money to just give away. My simple answer to that comes from an amazing pastor named Perry Noble, when he says that that individual should then pray that they make less money so that their tithe will be less! I loved that! So often we get caught up in our finances that we forget about the fact that God's in the business of taking care of His people. I love how Psalm 24 says that "The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it."
We belong to God. Our money belongs to God. Scripture is clear about tithing, and how that as Christ followers it is an essential part of leaning on Him, especially with finances. There are rewards to this act of tithing, because that's how our God works. When we do as He commands, he takes care of us, so when in Malachi it says to "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it," He truly means that we won't have enough room for the rewards.
Just something to think about :)
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