The Lord’s Calf

Bad news, the Lord’s calf is dead

Most of us struggle continually with the question of what it is that we should give to God. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, in his book “Studies In The Sermon On The Mount” (Eerdmans, 1959), tells a humorous story that helps to illustrate that struggle. It is the story of a farmer who one day went happily and with great joy in his heart to report to his wife and family that their best cow had given birth to twin calves, one red and one white. And he said, “You know I have suddenly had a feeling and impulse that we must dedicate one of these calves to the Lord. We will bring them up together, and when the time comes we will sell one and keep the proceeds, and we will sell the other and give the proceeds to the Lord’s work.” His wife asked him which he was going to dedicate to the Lord. “There is no need to bother about that now,” he replied, “we will treat them both in the same way, and when the time comes we will do as I say.” And off he went. In a few months the man entered his kitchen looking very miserable and unhappy. When his wife asked him what was troubling him, he answered, “I have bad news to give you. The Lord’s calf is dead.” “But”, she said, “you had not decided which was to be the Lord’s calf.” “Oh yes,” he said; “I had always decided it was to be the white one, and it is the white one that has died. The Lord’s calf is dead.”

Lloyd-Jones goes on to observe, we may laugh at that story, but God forbid that we should be laughing at ourselves. It is always the Lord’s calf that dies. When money becomes difficult, the first thing we economize on is our contribution to God’s work. It is always the first thing to go. Perhaps we must not say “always”, for that would be unfair; but with so many, it is the first thing, and the things we really like are the last to go. “We cannot serve God and mammon.” These things tend to come between us and God, and our attitude to them ultimately determines our relationship with God.

In 1997, the 72nd General Convention of the Episcopal Church affirmed “the tithe as the minimum standard of individual giving for Episcopalians.” Easier said than done for many of us. Recognizing that, the Deputies and Bishops affirmed that they themselves were either tithing or would adopt a plan for tithing within the next three years.

It is not because God needs our money that the tithe is so important. He tells us “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:6) It is what our giving of money says about our relationship with God that is important.

Yet, as in all aspects of our Christian journey, in our growing in Christ, many are challenged in trying to achieve the tithe. Mammon, treasure, has long been one of the most seductive entrapments of the spirit of humans. It may take a plan to gradually achieve the tithe over the course of a few years. Such a plan, though, is in itself a loving commitment.

With Lent upon us, perhaps a helpful individual discipline through the season would be to pray and meditate on how to achieve tithing if you are not already doing so.