Stewardship – The careful and responsible management of something (time, talent, treasure) entrusted to one’s care.
Biblical – Of, relating to, or being in accord with the Bible.
Principles – Fundamental ideas that guide one’s thought or behavior while leaving some room for judgment.
Tithe – In the OT literally meant a tenth. Annual tithe to support the Levites and a tithe every third year for the needy such as widows and orphans. Freewill offerings above the tithes for those who were led. The tithe does not appear to carry over to the Church as it is primarily freewill based upon Biblical principles and not necessarily a tenth. Tithe can be thought of as a rule. Freewill offering on the other hand leaves room for judgment and is a principle. Principles leave room for judgment and conscience. Or as we would say, the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
- Best and First
Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground. When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. Abel also brought a gift—the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected. ““Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you do what is right. (Genesis 4:2-7, NLT, 2015).
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6:37–38, NIV 1984).
We tend to give God the leftovers and the hand-me-downs. We give to God after we’ve provided for ourselves, rather than giving to Him first. We do not give Him our best. We keep that for ourselves. God deserves better because He has given us everything that we have.
2. Willingness and Cheerfulness
“You are to receive the offering for me from each man whose heart prompts him to give.” (Exodus 25:2, NIV 1984).
For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. (2 Corinthians 8:12, NIV 1984).
“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 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 9:6–7, NIV 1984).
God will indeed bless if we do this, but we must make sure that our motive in doing so is not to obtain the blessing. We must make sure we want to contribute but have been reluctant to do so because of our own needs. Then it becomes a measure of our faith, not our greed. God blesses faith, not selfishness or greed.
3. In Proportion
“No man should appear before the LORD empty-handed: Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the LORD your God has blessed you.” (Deuteronomy 16:16–17, NIV 1984).
God is only asking for us to return a portion (in proportion) of what He has blessed us with. We are not empty-handed only because He has blessed us in the first place. So, we should not come to Him empty-handed. How full our hand is, is up to us. Just remember that the hands receiving the gift has nail scars in them.
4. The Cost is Not the Amount
The king [David] replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” (2 Samuel 24:24, NIV 1984).
Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” (Mark 12:43–44, NIV 1984).
The cost of our salvation was exceedingly high. But God paid it. He gave out of His “wealth” because of our spiritual “poverty.” He “put in everything” so we should carefully consider before we just give Him any little thing.
5. Robbery and Blessing
“You ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. 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. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit,” says the LORD Almighty. (Malachi 3:8–11, NIV 1984).
One might be thinking, we barely have enough to get by from week-to-week. We don’t have enough to “rob from God.” That is the most opportune time to test God, when we don’t have enough. That’s tested spelled t-r-u-s-t-e-d. Take Him at His word, and “test [Him] in this.” See barely enough to get by, turn into more than sufficient for your needs.
6. Godly Contentment
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:6–10, NIV 1984).
I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner. (Ecclesiastes 5:13, NIV 1984).
Things are not intrinsically bad. Some, like “food and clothing” are somewhat necessary. Other things are not necessary, but we should not be jealous, begrudge or otherwise look down on those who have such things. If we also have them, we must be sure that we possess such things, rather than such things possessing us. Such things are not bad. The “love of” and being “eager for” such things are what “pierces [us] with many griefs.” Hold such things loosely. You won’t be taking them with you.
7. Set Aside What is Appropriate
On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. (1 Corinthians 16:2, NIV 1984).
From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. (Luke 12:48, NIV 1984).
The plan of man’s salvation was “crafted” before the fall. Before the creation of man. When He came to earth Jesus “set aside” His glory, taking the role of a servant and sacrificial lamb. For us to set aside a sum on whatever our “first day” is (payday?) is not really is big ask.
8. Meticulous Giving is Not the “End All”
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.” (Matthew 23:23–24, NIV 1984).
God does not need our money. He desires our “justice, mercy and faithfulness.” But often, how we respond with our money is a fairly good measure of how we value these three things.
9. Store Up for the Long Haul
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19–21, NIV 1984).
All the things we think we need, we really don’t. The things in this life we so desperately want to hold onto, we need to be willing to let go. Real wealth is not accumulating but investing. Investing in His Kingdom and His Righteousness. The question is not “who wants to be a millionaire?” It’s “who wants to be a millennium heir?” More often than not, the riches are found in the rags.
The Brew Is A Musing 