Sunday, July 8, 2012

July 8: Tithing, Ten Percent, Guilt, New Cartoon

Going to worship on Sunday fills me with a little guilt right now.  Since the semester ended in May, I haven't been able to afford my normal weekly donation to the church.  Usually, I try to give the Biblical ten percent tithe.  That amounts to around $25 to $30 a week.  Right now, I need that money for gas and groceries.  But, every time that collection plate passes by, I feel like some kind of cheapskate.  I know there are people worse off than me.  Homeless people.  Starving people.  I know I spend money on frivolous things--Diet Mountain Dew and stuffed crust Pizza Hut pizza.  The money I spend on items like that in a week would probably feed a small African village.

I should still be tithing.  I should still be giving my ten percent (even if it's a little smaller ten percent).  Yet, today, I let the collection plate go right on by this morning.  I try to justify my cheapness by thinking things like, "Well, I volunteer all that time as a worship leader.  I play the organ.  I sing in the choir.  I play in the praise band.  I organize devotional writing.  I direct the Sunday School Christmas program."  All those things are just what I said.  Justifications.

Saint Marty has been blessed in his life.  He should return some of those blessings.

Confessions of Saint Marty

1 comment:

  1. The Biblical tithe is defined in Leviticus 27:30-33, and it is NEVER money, nor does it come from anyone's income.

    What you are doing is giving/paying man's definition of the tithe that man invented in 1870.

    Although the tithe could never be money, the Temple Tax had to be paid with money; thus proving they did have money.

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