The headlines of the day scream out at us, "Worst Recession in Decades" . . . "Trillions in Debt Piling Up" . . . "Officials Not Sure What to Do For Economy." There are dozens of "Chicken Littles" racing around declaring that the sky is falling. Millions of people have lost their retirement savings or at least a substantial portion of it. Many have lost jobs. What are we to do?
Tap into God's economy! The One who owns the cattle on a thousand hills and unlimited resources is able to meet our every need. Solomon tells his son this very thing. Reading from Proverbs 3:9-10 . . .
"Honor the Lord with your possessions,
And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
So your barns will be filled with plenty,
And your vats will overflow with new wine."
As with all God's promises, obedience is the key which opens the door to God's blessings. In this case, Solomon instructs his son to bring honor to God with how he handles his money and to tithe his income. Since everything in our lives is supposed to honor God, it only makes sense that our money management should do the same. How can we honor God with our possessions?
First, rule your possessions - don't let your possessions rule you! A little common sense and some self-discipline will make the difference between a person being seen as a good money manager and one who dishonors God by living above their means, even to the point of declaring bankruptcy and shirking their obligations. That is not a Christlike way to live.
Second, use your possessions to help others. A Christian life isn't about how many "toys" that can be accumulated. Rather, it is about using the blessings God has given us to be a blessing for others. I don't think this means that Christians have to live in shacks and dress in rags. I believe that God wants us to focus on the important things and let Him worry about our financial needs. In Matthew 6:31-33 we read how Jesus approached this subject:
"So don't worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' For the idolaters eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you" (Holman Christian Study Bible).
Reading these verses of Scripture, along with Deuteronomy 18:4, and 28:8, Malachi 3:10-12, Amos 6:6, and Isaiah 43:23, we get a sense of the context of what these verses are trying to teach us. Unlike what some try to preach - what some call the "name it and claim it" theology, I believe that God's promise is to meet our needs and to bless us in all kinds of ways we cannot even imagine. If you're going to be rich, it is much better to be rich in spiritual blessings than the material kind because those blessings are eternal in nature. When God does bless a believer with material riches, He does so in order to enable that person to make a spiritual impact with the money and as a sign of God's power and abundance. Our "job" is to seek a close, personal relationship with the Lord, and simply trust Him to bless us as He sees fit.
The third way we honor God is to be obedient in the tithe. The benefit of tithing is more for the giver than the receiver (the church). God doesn't need our money. He can provide the means for the church to function through any number of ways. His choice, however, was to allow His children the opportunity to share in the support of the work, and to know the blessings that come as a result of obedience to His Word. Tithing is not a negative subject. It is actually one of the most positive messages found in the Bible. God is offering each believer a financial freedom that can only come through faith and obedience, acknowledging a complete and total dependence on God to provide. What a wonderful gift to have the peace of trusting God's goodness! Lookout, God wants to burst your barn doors wide open!
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