My wife and I were having a debate today before church about whether or not God would bless automatic electronic transfers from my bank account to the church's bank account for tithe, offerings, etc. The issue in question was whether God wants you to think about it when you give, or if the fact that money is going to the church out of my account is good enough (I think it would be awesome to automate it and never have to write a check again, but she disagrees). The debate continued until, as I hastily wrote out my tithe check and calculated how much easier it would be to simply type the amount into a paypal site, God weighed in on the matter. As I licked my tithe envelope the paper slashed my face open causing massive hemoraging and serious blood loss (not really, but it did hurt). Having never before received a paper cut from a tithing envelope, I simply said "yes Lord, I'll continue to write checks." It's tough when your wife is right and you're wrong, but it's tougher when God backs her up.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Sacrificial Giving
My wife and I were having a debate today before church about whether or not God would bless automatic electronic transfers from my bank account to the church's bank account for tithe, offerings, etc. The issue in question was whether God wants you to think about it when you give, or if the fact that money is going to the church out of my account is good enough (I think it would be awesome to automate it and never have to write a check again, but she disagrees). The debate continued until, as I hastily wrote out my tithe check and calculated how much easier it would be to simply type the amount into a paypal site, God weighed in on the matter. As I licked my tithe envelope the paper slashed my face open causing massive hemoraging and serious blood loss (not really, but it did hurt). Having never before received a paper cut from a tithing envelope, I simply said "yes Lord, I'll continue to write checks." It's tough when your wife is right and you're wrong, but it's tougher when God backs her up.
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7 comments:
HAHAHAHA I agree with Melody and God :) But I'm sorry about your face...
Thank you. Have fun in Ecuador...
what if i get a nasty paper cut
How funny!! But I'm glad you listened to reason. I think by you wanting to make things easier by doing the automatic draft was just that....making it easier. God doesn't always want things to be easier persay. I'm thankful that you now know what you should do and that you were a real man in admitting that your wife was right. LOL!! I am still working on my husband about that thing...LOL!!
That's right, I was a REAL man, bless God! I put my foot down whenever my wife tells me to!!! Just kidding...
Truthfully though, I really don't think God cares how we tithe, as long as we do it, and we do it cheerfully. I'm sure when they switched from gold coins to paper dollar bills (which used to represent the gold) people thought that was too easy, and when they invented checks so you don't have to actually put any money in the plate they thought the same thing. I don't see any difference in moving to electronic transfers, but I also don't feel like pushing the issue with God and slicing my tongue off the next time I lick an envelope.
Please tell me you people aren't serious about there being a right and wrong here. God loves a cheerful giver, true, but I think if the method of delivery was an issue to Him, He would have laid that out for us. Honestly, if someones going to hand you some money....would you really care how much needless work they put themselves through to get it to you. That's not sacrifice, that's purposefully doing something just to make it more difficult. Yikes!
Whether it would be wrong to actually give through electronic bank transfer is not my place to say, but I do think it makes a difference to God, and here is why. God doesn't need my money or your money to further His work. After all, the Bible says God owns the cattle on 1,000 hills, right? When Jesus was on this earth and needed money to pay His taxes, he didn't take up an offering or ask His disciples to tithe, He simply told Peter to go catch a fish and to look in the fishes mouth for the money. Miraculously Peter found the money just as the Lord said He would. So if God doesn't need our money, why ask us to give? Why doesn't God simply provide for the needs of the church miraculously? May I suggest it's because He uses giving to keep our hearts humble and open to Him? If God has control of your wallet, most likely you've surrendered every other area of your life also. Money is one of the hardest things for us to give up, but God wants to know that we are willing to sacrifice even our hard earned cash out of love for Him. So if God wants us to give for OUR benefit, in order to grow us spiritually, doesn't it make sense that this would only benefit us if we do it cognitively? For instance, my retirement plan is automatic. I don't have to think about it or do anything, and money gets transferred every month. This takes absolutely no thought, discipline, or sacrifice on my part because I don't have to make the decision to give that money every month, it just happens. I'm not saying that tithing in this manner would be sinful (the truth is I would really like to do it), but I do think we would be missing out on some opportunities for spiritual growth.
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