PSERENDIPITY

I was over at ThinkPrettySmart yesterday and there was a post that sparked some debate.  I won’t rehash the post, but one of the issues was tithing.  You know, like in church.  So there will be no confusion, I’m a firm believer in tithing.  I believe that if you give 10% to God, he will definitely pour out a blessing that you won’t be able to receive.  That was his promise to us. 

One of the viewpoints was that instead of tithing, you can give to the community.  Or what if instead of giving 10% to the church, you gave 5 and saved 5 — then imagine how much you could save.  Hmmm.  My own personal belief is that God didn’t say do that.  He didn’t say “Divvy up my money how you see fit, and I’ll surely bless you.”  He didn’t say “Pay your tithes as long as you’re satisfied with how your money is being spent, and I’ll bless you.”  If you pay your tithes with the faith that God will take care of you, then he will.  If you don’t pay your tithes, then he still will.  But I would prefer that the windows be opened on my behalf.  And I know a God that can do it.

I told the story a while back about how when I was 7 months pregnant I lost my job.  No income, no insurance.  Didn’t know what I was gonna do, but I had always, always paid my tithes.   I mean, if somebody gave me $.50, I would give $.05 in tithes.  Seriously.  There were some times when I was almost broke, but I never thought “Ugh, I wish I hadn’t paid my tithes, I would still have $XXX.00 left.”  What I did was pray, and say “Lord, you said that if I gave back to you, you would take care of me.  I don’t know how you’re going to do it, but I know you are.”

Then I would get a refund from something I totally forgot about.  I would get a letter saying I overpaid my taxes.  All of a sudden, a client would pay that I never ever thought I would see again.  A credit card company would drop an interest rate.  A case I worked on would settle for a couple thousand more than I thought it ever would.  All that was God.   I made it through a pregnancy and 3 months post pregnancy strictly on the blessings and fulfilled promised of God.  And I’m still making it that way today. 

Now I don’t profess to be a Bible toting knower of all things Bible.  But there is one thing that I do know.  If you obey God, you will be blessed in abundance.