Damn the tithe

Damn the tithe… full speed ahead

My apologies to Admiral Farragut for the paraphrase of his famous Damn the torpedoes’ exclamation, but it just seemed to fit. The tithe is as onerous to many Christians as oncoming torpedoes. Understandable. We live in a market-driven culture that strives to convince us that God has it wrong. It would have us believe that the source of all creation is off-base when he reminds us that all that we have, including our very existence, is a gift from him and he asks that we dedicate 10 percent of it to his purposes.

Most of us struggle financially. If you aren’t tithing currently, the idea of giving even a little more money to the church just seems impossible. Giving the first 10 percent of our income is plain out of the question. Yet there are many people who will attest to the fact that they had the same doubts and struggles, stepped out in faith anyway, and found tithing not only doable but spiritually enriching.

Taking that first step, though, is understandably daunting. We trust God to heal us and our loved ones, we trust Jesus’ promise of salvation, but we doubt God’s promise that he will provide for our financial needs. Faith develops gradually through experiences that reinforce each little bit of growth in faith. Many people who now tithe started by a plan of proportionate giving. They first identified what percentage of their income they were currently giving to God’s work. They then committed to a plan to increase that percentage each year over a few years until they achieved the tithe. That plan and commitment not only resulted in their being able to tithe sooner than they planned but also the spiritual growth that came from surrendering their fear surrounding money.

As you consider your pledge, consider your own plan of proportionate giving. You will find it a healthy spiritual practice.