To tie in with my last post, I've been thinking about church this week. And I want to relay some of the things the pastor spoke about. Now, I don't want to preach or anything, and I don't have anybody in mind as I relate this. I just thought some of his anecdotes were interesting and helped shed a new light on some things. And so I wanted to pass them on to you.
Since we have been here in Davao, the sermons at CCF (see last Sunday's post) have been taken from the book of Malachi. This past Sunday was from chapter 3, in particular verses 6-10 (see Malachi 3:6-10). I won't go into any theology or any deep dissection of this passage. Instead, I will share some of the stores and examples the pastor used.
In reference to giving the whole tithe, he actually said everyone should tithe based on their gross income, not net. It's something I have believed in for a long time, but it was really interesting to hear it from a pulpit. I've heard it called first-fruits giving, and it originates back in the time of Moses (see Deuteronomy 26:1-4).
He then gave an example with a child. The child was fishing and he wanted to put into practice what he had learned about tithing. He excitedly ran to his pastor's house and knocked on the door. When the pastor opened the door, the boy explained that he wanted to give his tithe to God. The pastor looked at the fish in the boy's hands and thought, “If this is his tithe, where are the other nine fish?” So he asked the child. The child replied, “Don't worry Pastor. I will go back and catch them.” This story made me think and wonder how many times do we give God the LITERAL first fruits of our lives, trusting in Him to provide after the fact? The pastor then asked if anyone would take his offer to fill their shortages or bills if they would just tithe for one month. Of course, many people would be willing to accept that offer. He then explained how sad it is that we would put our trust in a mere man (albeit a pastor), but not in God who owns the entire universe!
Here's another way to look at things that I had never quite seen before. Imagine a company, ABC Co. Part A puts up $60,000 of capital, part B puts up $30,000, and part C puts up $10,000 (total of $100,000). So the income is then split up 60% to A, 30% to B, and 10% to A (total of 100%). But when it comes to God's “company”, how much do we put up? Nothing. God puts in $100,000 of the capital. We have nothing of ourselves to offer and the entire world is His. But when it comes to the “income”, how is it split? God asks for 10% and allows us to have 90%! How selfish we are not to be willing to give BACK to God a mere tenth of what He has provided for us. Now, I know we worked for that money ourselves, but who gave us the ability to work in the first place (see Deuteronomy 8:17-18)?
As an ending, the pastor shared this story. A young boy used to go with his mother to an old country store. Every time he was there, the store keeper would tell the boy to help himself to a handful of candy. The boy always declined the offer. So each time the owner himself would grab a handful of candy to give to the boy. One day the boy's mother asked him why he never took the candy himself. The boy simply replied, “His hands are bigger than mine.” Now tell me, whose hands do you want providing for you life? Do you want it to be your own? Or will you choose God's hands? After all, as the song says, “He's got the whole world in His hands.”
God's blessings!
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