Giving as We Have Prospered

Photo from Jagero{dot}net

Recently, The Cowboy and I took a different approach to setting aside our giving money.  The Cowboy has an impressive knack for knowing how much money is in our business account in spite of the fact that I think it's been balanced once in 9 years - so we kind of "know" where we are in our giving as well.  Last year, though, we started making a point of putting aside money into a "giving" savings account every time we made a deposit.  We were surprised by how quickly the amounts there added up.

It's funny how stingy we humans are with money that is only a gift from God anyway.

We have "multiple funding streams" - which really just means we patch a living together from many sources.  The Cowboy earns money from his business, we raise beef and pork for income, sometimes The Cowboy will get a good deal on a saddle or a horse and turn it around for a profit later, my little Etsy shop brings in occasional change...  It all adds up to a fine living...and sometimes we forget to share.

Before the advent of the Christian church (that being the one founded after Jesus' resurrection), God's people "tithed."  It was serious business.  In fact, God's people paid a number of tithes and the real percentage of their income was more like 23%.  Their income and crops were all "tithed" ( (Leviticus 27:30; Numbers 18:26; Deuteronomy 14:24; 2 Chronicles 31:5) and that amount was given to the tabernacle. 

However, the apostle Paul tells us of a new direction God took when he tells us to, "give as we have prospered," (1 Corinthians 16:2).  Today we are no longer required to give a tenth of our income.  We have a weightier command: to give as we have prospered. 

"Prospering" is defined as "succeeding in material terms, being financially successful, flourishing..." 

Did you "prosper" last year?

Our family prospers in some funny ways - mostly not monetarily...but God has prospered us that way too.

Last year, 8 calves were born to us.  We make some money when those calves are mature and sold for meat - and we also have an abundance of meat that is easy to share.

Frequently people bring us lovely clothes that they no longer need - this blessing can be used to glean what we need, add what we no longer need, and pass on to others.

The Lord blessed our garden last year with a good harvest.   With a good garden you can invite others to come harvest what they need - or bless them later when it's stored in the pantry.

When I was a young, struggling college student I once got a check from an aunt (my aunts and uncles are always sources of great blessings to their nieces and nephews) with a note that said she got an unexpected windfall and just wanted to pass on some of the blessing.  We all get unexpected windfalls - how God is honored when we pass on at least some of it to someone else.

God also blesses our family with much work and, while we cannot afford to pay much to others, sometimes it is a blessing to both parties when you can offer work in trade for something a person would normally pay for.

That is how we "tithe mint, dill and cummin," but God asks for more.

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)

We are to set aside out of our actual money in order that the money is available when needs arise. 

A young missionary needs a little more for her plane ticket. 

 

A friend loses his job and the rent money just isn't there this month. 

 

You're called to bless precious babies in Zambia. 

In the parable of the ten virgins, some of the wedding party was prepared with sufficient oil when the Bridegroom came.  Half were not.  The Parable is about being prepared when the Lord returns, of course, but it is also about other things.  It's about preparation.  It's about having your heart set on kingdom things.

Do you ever wonder why those women were not prepared?  Were they just slack in their responsibilities?  Were they too busy playing that they didn't make time to go get sufficient oil before it was too late?  Did they spend their money on other things so that they could only afford the amount of oil they brought?  The parable is clear that they could have been prepared, but were not.  Whatever their hearts were set upon, their priorities were wrong.

God provides so many opportunities to bless.  All you need to do is look around and you will see so much to be done in God's kingdom.  Our Father is not a tyrant - who commands and does not make provision for us to carry out His directions.  He is not like Pharaoh who ordered that the Israelites make bricks without straw.  We each have sufficient prosperity to do our part in the kingdom of God. 

The question is not if we can, but if we will.