Begin with two minutes of stillness and silence before God.
Well, after today's reading, you can probably guess that we are going to be talking about money today! If you are also like me, a part of your stomach just got twisted into a little bit of a knot. But believe it or not, as Christians we are called to give to the church (tithe) not as a requirement of our faith but as an expectation. Today, Paul talks on this subject with Corinthians and explains how God loves a cheerful giver.
Now, growing up, my dad was one who made sure to tithe whatever money the family made back to God. He was very faithful in this, and God always seemed to provide when our family needed it. But to establish this rhythm of life takes practice and is not an easy thing to jump into. God does not give a requirement to Christians on how much to give, but to just give and give cheerfully.
In the Old Testament, the Israelites gave a tithe (10%) of their earnings to the Tabernacle/Temple. The Levities (priests) would then use this to pay for their needs since they had only one job: serve God with their entire lives. When the New Covenant was established, we were not given a set amount of what to give. In different seasons of life, the amount we give will fluctuate. But regardless of what or how much we give, we should do it not as a chore that we loathe but as a way to say, “God, I am giving today because I believe and trust You will use this money to further Your Kingdom and help the gospel advance to the ends of the earth!”
See, in this text, Paul is telling the Corinthian Christians that the money they are giving is helping the church in Jerusalem, who was under intense persecution. Corinth was a very rich city, like a modern-day Las Vegas. So, the people had money to give. Instead of being frugal and maybe just even comfortable with the small amount they do give, Paul challenged them to give more and step out of that comfort zone. He compares it to a farmer who reaps much seed; yes, some will be lost, but the harvest is plentiful!
Now, where we give our money for God to use is also something that can be hard. There are many churches and Christian organizations that need money to survive and function. So, we must be in prayer and discernment on how much to give and where to give. Venture has a way to give online, but there are also many other ministries from Mission Boards that do international aid, to places local to your hometown, that do work with those who live in poverty. As Christians, we should be positively impacting our cities and towns. And one way we can do that is to give financially to those who are in need of it.
If I can be real with y'all, this is an area that has been a struggle for me. Unlike my dad giving financially to the church faithfully for years, it has not come easily for me. So, know that I am not writing this from someone who has it figured out and gives the “perfect” amount every time, but as someone who is still learning and growing in this area of my faith. With that, let us walk this road together in prayer that God will grow us as we learn to cheerfully give!
Next Steps:
- Take some time to sit and go through your finances. See where you can afford to give, whether starting out or giving more.
- Find someone with whom you can be an accountability partner. Hold each other accountable in what you give and how you can honor God with your finances.
- Pray, ask God for conviction in your life of where you can start giving or even give more.
Take two minutes to reflect in silence.
Reflection:
Use the S.O.A.P. Method to study God’s Word.
- SCRIPTURE: What stands out to you in today’s passage?
- OBSERVATION: What is this text saying? What is the context? How does it fit with the verses before and after it? Are there any commands, instructions, or promises?
- APPLICATION: How can you apply this verse to your life? What does this mean today? What is God saying to you?
- PRAYER: Respond to the passage in prayer. Ask God to help you apply this truth to your life and spend some time listening to what He may be telling you.
FALL AT VENTURE
KXP, MVMNT, The Gathering, House Church, and Care Groups are all starting back this fall! You can check the Fall at Venture webpage for launch dates and events happening this fall at Venture.