I decided to deviate from the norm (if you will). I don’t have a scripture today. Well, I have a scripture to back up what I want to say. On the train I decided to read the textbook (which I paid half the bookstore price on bigwords.com) for my Personality Theory class. I’m about to start the story of Abinadi so I promise, I’ll get some juicy tid bits later this week. (idea cloud) I know. In the mornings I’ll study my textbooks. In the evenings I’ll study the scriptures. There. Done and done.
I would like to bear a short testimony of tithing.
We neither grew up wanting nor with excess. I’m pretty sure I was taught tithing as a primary age child. You know, the teacher gives you the envelope, tithing slip and ten pennies, you give the cent to the bishop because that represents the tenth. So that was the mechanics of it. I don’t think I was ever taught the principle of it until I was probably 20.
Malachi 3: 8-10
When I moved out on my own I paid my tithing sporadically. But I knew that if I paid my tithing that my finances would be okay. But that’s only if you pay it faithfully. While attending my university ward I was famous for telling the bishop as I handed over my money, “I could pay a bill with this.” I found that with this attitude my money slipped through my fingers.
Since then I’ve started attending my family ward and I changed my outlook on tithing. Now when I make my offering I think, and sometimes say, “I’d like to exchange this for blessings.” I found that with this attitude His money slipped through my fingers but I didn't really care as much because I knew it was His money.
I can honestly say that when I am consistent in paying my tithing and offerings, Heavenly Father really gives me too much. Note that I didn’t say too much money because I don’t have one of those stories where it’s either my rent or my tithing so I pay my tithing and somehow I get the money to pay my rent. No, that doesn’t happen to me. If it does, you’ll be the first to know.
I can say this: when I pay my tithing and offerings I come out ahead. Now, my mortal, finite mind cannot fathom this because that dollar amount goes into the subtract column of my Excel spreadsheet entitled Budget. Yet still, the money I always need is there at the end of the pay period.
Test Heavenly Father. Dare Him to bless you.
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2 comments:
Awesome post. I've always paid tithing, but I never really understood why I paid tithing until shortly before my mission. Now, I have a thought that I receive so many blessings from heaven, I don't want to find out which ones correspond to which principles of obedience. May I share a story that changed my perspective on tithing? Thanks.
Everyone likes to tell (and hear) those stories about how they were able to cover rent and whatnot even though the numbers didn't add up. There was a faithful single mother (well, pretty much - her husband was a drunkard who showed up every once in a while when he needed a place to crash) in our mission that understood the principle of tithing. One month it came down to either paying tithing or paying her car payment, and everything else was already stretched thin. She decided that paying tithing was more important, and did so, having faith that everything would turn out ok. Because she paid her tithing and didn't have any other source of income, her car was repoed by the end of the month. This means that she had no way to get to work, and lost her job. She was the only means of transportation for herself and another widow in that city to get to church, a good 20 minute drive. We arranged for a member to drive from the city out to pick them up, which was a great embarrassment to her - often she would tell us that she had found a ride to church, too embarrassed to have us find another ride to church. But, when possible, she kept coming and remained incredibly faithful. I was transferred from that area after two more months and wasn't able to keep tabs on her from then out, so I left the area with her being unemployed and without a car, clearly not a good situation to be in. When I saw her faith and dedication a vision came to my mind that The Lord would be able to see to it that the barrel of meal would waste not, neither would the cruse of oil fail (1 Kings 17:16), while celestial barrels were filled to overflowing and heavenly cruses were inundated in blessings prepared for her, perhaps at a future time.
I'm not always in the 'right' frame of mind when I pay my tithing in that sometimes I do it out of routine. But as often as I can remember, I think about how often I have gone to my personal barrel, and it has not failed. I think of how often I have been blessed with more than I can completely comprehend with a mortal mind (again, this is so much more than money). And I cannot afford to see what happens when The Lord lets the meal run out.
Thanks again for a great post, I'm really enjoying this blog.
There really aren't words to describe how Manboy and I feel about money. Being students and paying for everything on our own is difficult. I know that you all know this, but all I have is my own experience to draw from. There is something special about knowing that there is purpose in the "hurt" of passing that money over to the Lord. I know He has blessed us. We are fine. We have almost no debt and school is paid for by generous grants. I'm graduated, working in good health, and the future looks up. It's tight, but heck, we just bought a new car, rent tripled, and we purchased life insurance finally. The bases are covered, and we have a little extra to spare. We treasure that little extra, and it brings us closer. I really think this is the way it's supposed to be. Also, we get to go to the temple, which is a good reason in itself to pay tithing.
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