by Don Johnson | October 27, 2018
₁The church secretary answered the ringing phone to hear a man on the other end ask if he could speak with the "Head Hog at the Trough."
The secretary replied, "Who?"
"I want to speak to the Head Hog at the Trough!"
"Sir," she replied, "if you are asking to speak with our pastor, you will need to refer to him with greater respect."
"Oh, I see how it is," the man said. "Well, all I wanted to do was talk with him about this ten thousand dollar gift I want to give to the church."
"Hold on," said the secretary. "The Big Pig just walked through the door!"
To the flesh this may be comical. To the spirit it should be abhorrent. Why? Because it smells like flesh. Unfortunately, many people in the church are easily influenced by the dollar - just like the world is. Especially if it is a significant amount. Sadly, the old adage "money talks and..." is more than a trend in the modern church. It has become the lifestyle of many who claim to be lovers of God and followers of Jesus. The mere thought of dropping money into the offering plate or basket, and using it as leverage to control others should be appalling. To use our gift to the LORD as a bribe to make others do or say what we want them to do or say should be non-existent in the church. Some even try to bribe God and control the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Body of Christ because (1) we bring our tithe to the church and (2) we like our church experience a specific way. These two "reasons" give us a perceived sense of entitlement - to have it our own way. If you are wanting things your way at the weekly worship celebration of Almighty God, then you might try Burger King because the King of kings will have it no other way but His. I know this sounds blunt, but there is no other way. What's supposed to be a gift, or tithe, to the Lord (because of His great mercy and grace towards us (and because he commands it)) has become, to some, a way to manipulate the direction, events, and decisions (and leadership) in the local church. Is this the teaching found in the Scriptures? By no means!
The Heart of the Matter
We think of tithing as taking a tenth of our earnings and giving it to the church during the offering time on Sunday. In the Old Testament, when the tithe first appeared on scene, the tithe wasn't restricted to money. Crops, cattle, grains, etc. were what God's people tithed from. The tithe wasn't a strict 10% either. Some have calculated a tithe to be about 26% or better in some cases. In others, folks were to add 5% here or 10% there on top of the base. And this was called a "tithe". The New Testament gives us a bit of grace when Paul writes the church at Corinth letting them know that "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give..." Tithing, or giving is definitely a heart issue...an act of worship between the giver and his/her God. To use it as anything else would be in violation of Scripture...the very Word of God.“A tithe...belongs to the Lord [not me; not you]; it is holy to the Lord."
- Leviticus 27:30 NIV
“In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. [You are keeping some back for yourselves out of fear and lack of trust]. 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 there will not be room enough to store it."
-Malachi 3:8-10
"Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly [unwillingly or hesitantly] or under compulsion [by force], for God loves a cheerful [exuberant] giver."
-2 Corinthians 9:7 NIV
The good news is that there is blessing from the LORD in giving tithes and offerings! The bad news is, the person who gives or tithes with any kind of strings attached, (or withholds a tithe) is totally missing out on the heart of God for him/her, for the rest of the Body of Christ, for the community, etc., and is in disobedience.
What are we doing? When we place the check or cash into the offering basket, are we giving/tithing or are we bribing? Let's check our hearts the next time we tithe. If we are thinking, "I pay part of the pastor's salary so...", or "I'm withholding my tithe until that decision I want is made", then we might want to check our hearts against what God says about it. Our money is not our money. Everything is the LORD's. (Psalm 24:1)
If you are struggling right now - as I am - with this topic, please know you are not alone. But also know that you are being prayed for and the desire is that you are released from a heart that uses money to control and manipulate, and instead, be given a personal revival to stimulate the desire to worship and please God with your finances as your real reason for giving.Growing together with you!
Don
Follow me on Instagram @donleejohnsonjr
1. (adapted from "What They Didn't Tech You In Seminary", pg37)
