Bring the finest of the firstfruits of your produce to the house of your God. Exodus 34:26 (TM)
This past week I went with my daughter, Taylor, to the bank. She just graduated from high school and the bank wanted to "upgrade" her account to a college account complete with the privileges and responsibilities of having her first real credit line. Our banker, Missy, gave Taylor both a great encouragement and warning about handling credit and her credit rating. The appointment turned into a coffee date for me and Taylor as we continued to talk about money. Taylor, facing the reality of life on her own, had a ton of great questions about finances.
I have many lessons to share about finances. Not because I’ve done it well, but because my checkbook is scarred with so many poor decisions. One of the financial and spiritual principles I wished I’d applied earlier in life is the concept of giving back to God from the best first fruits of your income. There’s nothing magical about it. I don’t believe, like some televangelists preach, that giving will result in some financial heavenly pay-off – though God’s Message is clear that He blesses those who prove themselves faithful with what they’ve been given.
The reality is that giving back to God some of the best first-fruits of your income is a slow, character producing practice. You remind yourself, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly that:
- God deserves my best – not just the left-overs (after I’ve satisfied my selfishness)
- Everything I have and everything I receive ultimately comes from God
- Everything I have belongs to God – not to me
- I actually earn more money than I really need
- I can be content and live on less than I earn
Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and nathangibbs
8-9 At once, Moses fell to the ground and worshiped, saying, “Please, O Master, if you see anything good in me, please Master, travel with us, hard-headed as these people are. Forgive our iniquity and sin. Own us, possess us.”
I love the last four words. Own us, God, posess us. The word picture is a great one. Knowing God can be so much deeper than we imagine. I want to have that relationship with God.
You’re absolutely right, KF. Thanks for filling in the blank I obviously left in my list!!
Nick, you’re right. I have a check sent automatically each month, but this morning’s chapter had me thinking the same things. Perhaps it would be better for ME if I physically wrote a check and placed it in the plate each week. I noticed that God clearly told Israel to bring an offering each time they came into His presence.
I agree with your points about tithing. Some churches have begun to offer automatic withdrawals from bank accounts. Is it possible that when this process becomes automatic, we don’t put as much concious thought (weekly, monthly, etc.) into the act of tithing, consequently diminishing some of the significance of doing it.
I’d also add that tithing/giving God your firstfruits is a reminder that:
* God provides everything you need — and sometimes even more than you can imagine!
* God’s bounty is often waaaayyyy better than any earthly bounty.