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Fresh Bread # 144
SOP OR JOY
What’s the Difference?
There
was a rich man and a poor lady who both needed to tithe. I understood the poor lady’s need,
but was intrigued by the rich man’s need. He was honest and open about his dilemma.
Both the man and lady live a long distance
from me. It’s not likely that we will ever meet in person, so they have the freedom to ask
what is truly on their hearts. Praise God for the Angel Food web site.
THE POOR LADY
When
I asked the poor lady if she were tithing, this is what she said.
“No im not. i think about this a lot, even
giving 5 or 10.00 but i am constantly juggling and worrying about not bouncing things, yesterday i ate
out and took a girlfriend even though she said put 30.00 towards your phone bill, i was hungry and shes
given me lots before, but.......usually i am so much over my head and with stu gone its even worse.i just
got 32.35 from a consignment shop for things i sold and 16 went towards a bill of 156. , 10.00 to another
bill, and i owe the guy at the store for 2 packs of cigs which i know youre thinking is a waste but ....hey,
i havent quit yet, so yeah, theres no excuse but, there goes the money i just made pretty much and when
i first got it i thought great, ill leave it in bank cuz i was 35 bucks short on my paycheck which i already
had budgeted so see.............. iyt never ends, next month ill be praying not to bounce my new loan payment
which was to help consolidate, i can never mess it up and i really dont know how ill do that, 492.00 month
on top of all else with about a 500.00 month income.i do give to people but not money, usually things i
clean out of my house.i do feel guilty however i need to make sure nothing bounces.i really like
your prayers ....so much better than mine.”
What would you have told her? Would
you say she had a NEED to give?
THE RICH MAN
When
the rich man (rich compared to this dear lady) explained his tithing, this is what he said.
“I do already tithe, have done so for many
years, but more from a sense of having to, and not always from a willing heart. I have tried
and tried to tithe from my heart but it doesn't always work out. I am a qualified accountant
and everything has a cost to me and involves money so when I see my money going on tithes,
I know it's that much less for us to utilize.
“However, that aside, I think it is fair to
say that I am a giver of money - to church, charities, people in need, but the money tends to
disappear, not grow!
“I will pray for the lady you mentioned and
her financial position. She sounds in dire straits.”
WHAT WOULD YOU READERS SAY?
I
feel certain that many scriptures, stories, and parables from the Bible come to your mind as you think
about how you would answer these two. What do they have in common?
THE BUSINESSMAN
IT’S JUST GOOD BUSINESS
Spirit of Excellence and Integrity
When
the business man can apply tithing to his personal life and situation…seeking to make tithing
relevant to his business, it will make sense to him.
One way to look at this for him, would be to look
at it as though he is in partnership with our Lord. Financially, the business man is responsible
for 90% of the business, but his partner must always receive the first 10%.
Instead of 50-50, the Partner only expects 10%.
But, oh my, what He can do with that 10% far exceeds
what the business man can do with the 90%.
It would not be a business of integrity if one partner
were to steal from the other.
Luke 17:9, asks, “Doth He (the Master) thank
that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not.” And verse
10 in more common language is the correct reply: “We don’t need praise for doing what
we do (tithe). We have only done what was our duty to do.”
SOP or JOY
For
a good business man, tithing is a very practical standard operational procedure (SOP). As much
as he would designate in his budget to pay his employees, his budget is in order when the first check
he writes is to his business partner.
When he does this, he doesn’t need a pat on
the back. He is simply TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS; considering priorities and putting first things first.
For a business man, there must be a purpose for
all he does. When one bill isn’t paid, it nags at him. And if he pays all his employees,
and bills, but steals from his Partner what is rightfully His, this business man will always have the feeling
that he has forgotten to do something. So, why not take care of it FIRST?
Malachi 3:8 says, “Will a man rob God? But
ye say, Wherein have we robbed Thee? In Tithes and Offerings.”
And verse 9 says, “Ye are cursed with a curse because ye
have robbed Me….”
GOD FORBID
God
forbid. We don’t need a curse on our business or life. God doesn’t want that
for us either. For the MANY reasons He tells us to tithe, we must TRUST Him that He wants to Bless
us…not the other way around.
YOUR PARTNER LEAVES
What
if your Partner decides to take His 10% and leave your business? What if He decides to invest
His 10% in someone else’s business?
No, don’t let Him go. He is the greatest
Partner and asset to your business you will ever have. Treat Him with Respect and Treat Him
Fair. You can Trust Him.
TITHES AND OFFERINGS
Tithes are S.O.P. and Offerings are
J.O.Y.
OFFERINGS ARE THE JOY
Offerings
come from our overflow. Not so much as overflow of finances which are only one vehicle of transporting
God’s Love, but Overflow of our Love.
If we are struggling with the desire to “Tithe
From Our Heart”, perhaps we have it a little confused. We tithe out of OBEDIENCE and practicality. But,
we GIVE from the overflow of our hearts.
Perhaps 2 Corinthians 9:7 has brought conviction
to some of us who are trying to tithe from our hearts. It says, “Every man, according as he
purposes in his heart, so let him Give: (it doesn’t say ‘tithe’); not grudgingly, or
of necessity ( We are not required to GIVE: we are required to TITHE); for God loves a cheerful
giver.” Who doesn’t? Please never give me anything without a smile on your face
and sincere desire to give.
OVER-FLOW
Where
does the overflow originate? In the presence of our Lord as we pray for others, and ask God to
fill us with His Love in all areas of our life. As our love grows…so does it overflow into
GIVING…whether financial or other ways.
THE CROSS
We
consider the love of Christ for us, (2 Corinthians 8:9) in that although He was rich, He became poor,
that we through His poverty might be rich. So like the widow with her mite…last cent, Christ
Jesus gave us all that He had.
THE POOR LADY
Some
give out of their need. We all have needs. She has a NEED to tithe so that her store house
can begin to fill up.
The rich man has a NEED to love God so much that
he finds the JOY of giving from his heart. His practical business sense will take care of his business. Then,
as he learns more and more about the Love of God, he’ll have no problem living in the “overflow” of
joyful giving. It will come straight from his heart as he so desires.
As obedience brings blessings, I believe this rich
man is soon to be blessed by an overflow of God’s love for him and him for God, as he finds himself
in God’s Love Letters to him; God’s Holy Word, the Bible.
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