Posts tagged tithing
Bible in a Year – Day 46: Lessons in the Numbers
Feb 15th
Today’s Reading: Numbers 8, 9 & 10
In today’s reading, we find a few interesting tidbits: a biblical standard for retirement, an example of people eager to honor God and a model for the way we should walk with God.
On retirement, Numbers 8:23-26 sets a mandatory retirement age for priests. Now, most 50 year old priests, pastors or clergy that I know would bristle at the notion that they are “finished.” But I don’t get the idea that the retirement commanded by God of the Levites has as much to do with the abilities of the older men as it does with the abilities of the younger ones.
It’s as if God’s ultimate desire was for each generation to be able to serve in the church. And, essentially, to create a 25 year term of service for each person. Think of it this way (and I know this is simplistic): Imagine a guy named Ug is a Levite. Once he turns 25 years old, he begins his service in the tabernacle. He also has a son. Twenty-five years later, just after Ug turns 50 and retires from his service in the church, his son, now 25 years old himself, begins his service. Cue the Lion King soundtrack – “…the circle of life…”
This was God’s way of ensuring that the duties were being passed on from father to child, from generation to generation, and not being “hoarded” by those who had been doing it for 25 years. We would do well to learn this lesson in our own churches – to train up others to take over our jobs long before we are physically unable to do them. Our abilities aren’t the point. Instead, we are to recognize and foster their abilities.
On honoring God, the “unclean” of Israel give us a great example of people who are eager to show God the respect he requires. These unclean people, recognizing that they aren’t allowed to participate in the Passover remembrance, approach Moses in search of a solution. And I love their attitude here:
“We have become unclean because of a dead body, but why should we be kept from presenting the Lord’s offering with the other Israelites at the appointed time?” (Numbers 9:7)
Let me translate this into more modern vernacular:
“We’ve been sick and haven’t been able to come to church. Why should we be kept from paying our tithe and serving in children’s ministry?”
You see, these were people who had a legitimate excuse to not honor their commitments to God. But instead of taking the easy way out, they requested a variance – one that would get them into the mix. And so, God, through Moses, scheduled them to serve in children’s ministry next month. 
Lastly, and briefly, on the way we should walk with God, the Israelites provide a great model that we can live by. When the cloud over the tabernacle lifted, they went. When it settled, they stayed. It didn’t matter how long they sat or how long they walked, they just wanted to make sure that wherever God was leading them, they were right on his heels. I wonder if we can say the same for ourselves.
So often, I find myself trying to convince God to go somewhere, or trying to convince him to let me stay somewhere. What if I, in the words of Numbers 9:21, was right on God’s heels “whether by day or by night” whenever he moved? What if I didn’t hesitate when God asked me to move? What if I wasn’t so anxious and impatient when he asked me to wait?
What about you? Is God asking you to move or to wait? Can you find it within yourself to follow the model of the Israelites, whether by day or by night?
Bible in a Year – Day 28: What’s a Life Worth?
Jan 28th
Today’s Reading: Exodus 30, 31 & 32
As with just about every day, there’s a lot packed into today’s reading. However, there were two parts that really jumped out to me and they both follow a similar theme. First, there is the “atonement money” that God requires every person to pay. Second, there is this conversation between Moses and the Lord where Moses asks God to forgive the Israelites for worshiping the golden calf. Both, I think, demonstrate a fundamental truth about the value of each individual – a truth that God first taught Noah and then, Noah articulated back to God.
Let’s take a look at the atonement money. The purpose of this money was to offer a “ransom” for the life of each individual. Clearly, this has some prophetic undertones as Jesus would pay the ultimate ransom for us and would be the ultimate atonement. However, I think there’s something interesting about this passage. God requires that everyone is to give one half shekel. And he specifically says that the rich are to give no more than a half shekel and the poor are to give no less.
Now, whenever God and money are combined in the Bible, most people immediately believe that the passage must be a commentary on church giving, tithing, etc. In this case, though, I don’t think that’s the point at all. In fact, when you read through the rest of scripture, you see that God typically does require more from those who have more and often lessens the giving requirements for those who are poor. So what’s going on here?
Well, remember that we’re talking about a ransom or atonement. That is, a sum of money paid in exchange for someone’s life. What’s a life worth? Whatever the person who saves your life says it’s worth. In this case, God tells the people that they are to pay one half shekel as a ransom for each life. But what is God going to do with a half shekel? He doesn’t need the money! What he does need is that for the people to understand that their lives have value and that no one person’s life is more valuable than another. The lives of the rich aren’t worth more than the lives of the poor or vice versa. This is a lesson in the value of a life, not a story about tithing or church giving.
This same lesson, then, is obviously learned and articulated by Moses when he says to God in chapter 32, verses 31 & 32:
“Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.”
Moses here is essentially telling God that his life (or more accurately, his soul or his existence) is not any more valuable than anyone else’s. If they aren’t going to be forgiven – if they’re going to be rejected by God – then Moses doesn’t want to be accepted by him either. It’s a reminder that we’re all in this boat together – that God interacts with humanity as a whole as well as individuals. And it’s a reminder that you are worth the same as me and the same as the poorest of the poor and the richest of the rich. And, ultimately, Jesus would pay the same price for all of us.
Tithing, Generosity and Me
Mar 22nd
Todd Hunter has tithed for 32 years and says it never really impacted his life. In this interview from RecycleYourFaith.com, Todd kind of calls himself out for it. I think it has far reaching implications for how we think about giving in the church.
Tithing Without Generosity from Recycle Your Faith on Vimeo.
I like the honesty from Todd on this subject and I like that he is “thinking it through.” I believe there is a danger, however, in looking at things like tithing or worship or generosity and saying, “How has this impacted my life?” In other words, “What did I get out of this thing?” We begin to dig ourselves into a deep hole when we start to look at our relationship with God as a transaction – I give God 10% and he gives me ________ or I volunteer X amount of hours at church every week and God gives me ________. I agree with Todd’s conclusion that there is a fundamental generosity that is being taught in scripture and I don’t believe that Todd is viewing his tithe as some sort of transaction with God. I just think there is danger that a phrase like “How has this impacted my life?” could lead some people down the wrong rabbit trail.
In fact, I think a better question to ask is, “How has my giving impacted others?” If you can’t answer that question, then perhaps you need to dig a little deeper. I look at my church giving over the years and I can see how it has impacted other people – through ministry to people from many walks of life, through outreach to the community and help for people in need, through the building of a community that helps to carry the heavy load of tragedy and that celebrates together in times of joy. Outside of giving to the church, I’ve seen how others benefit from other forms of giving (whether monetary or otherwise) and how a small thing can make a huge impact on a person’s life.
Ultimately though, Todd and I agree. We should be giving generously, gladly and eagerly. We should give in anticipation of the good that will come from that gift. And, I’ll add, we should give to God knowing that he first gave to us and that he has a better plan for our money than we do. That’s a lesson I’ve learned over and over and continue to learn.
Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
2 Corinthians 9:7
