Today's Truth
1 Timothy 6:17 "Tell those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which will soon be gone. But their trust should be in the living God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment."
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Friend To Friend
The subject of giving always seems to make some people a little nervous - especially in church - and certainly during the month of December. My husband is the Lead Teaching Pastor at Westside Family Church in Lenexa, Kansas and, in my totally objective opinion, a truly gifted Bible teacher. Dan teaches on the subject of tithing and giving only when it comes up in Scripture. It came up this week. "You can give without loving, but you can't love without giving" he said. I totally agree.
The Old Testament clearly teaches the principle of tithing, of giving back 10% of what we earn and have to God, while the New Testament takes giving a step further and encourages us to give sacrificially - beyond our tithe. Dan also said, "You can't be a serious Christ follower without being a serious giver." I had to think about that statement for a minute. When I held it up against God's Word, it stood firm. Then why do so few people who proclaim to be serious Christ followers get excited about sacrificial giving?
I have to start with my own heart and realize that greed certainly plays a part in my attitude toward giving but I also think we don't want to give because we are afraid - afraid that God won't come through but that money will. I know it sounds ridiculous when put into words, but it is true. We are afraid to trust God - who is unseen - because it seems much easier and more logical to trust money - which is seen. In other words, many of us have come to view and trust money as our Provider. After all, when you hand someone money, you usually get something you need or want in return - clothes, food, a car, electricity or the opportunity to live in a house. Fear then asks the question, "But what would you do without money?"
