Malachi 3:10
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so that there will be food enough in my Temple; if you do, I will open up the windows of heaven for you and pour out a blessing so great you won’t have room enough to take it in!
“Try it! Let me prove it to you!
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
I’ve been helping Timothy’s room mother “chair” with the holiday parties this year. It seems that in Zola’s kindergarten class, there are plenty of parents lined up and ready to help. By the time the children get to second grade, the enthusiasm has waned and that number has greatly dwindled. So while we have managed to get plenty of “donations” – party favors, food, and money – we have had trouble getting parents to come and actually help with activities.
For the Fall Party, more than a dozen parents actually came to the party…but only 3 or four had agreed to help serve refreshments, play games, decorate, and clean up. A week from today, we will have the Christmas party, and I will be interested to see how much physical help we are able to muster!
It’s easy to grab a few cupcakes, pick up some party favors at the dollar store, or send a check to cover the cost of decorations. It’s another to actually show up and do the work…to give time and effort. I understand that parents work - now, more than ever. But I also know that a lot of people think that it won’t be fun to help the children…or they won’t be good at it. And the truth is…the adults will get more from the experience than the children, in many instances.
Here’s the thing…a lot of us write a check for 10% to the church…and we think we are done. But I don’t believe this is what was meant by these scriptures about “tithing.” Sure…churches need money to operate. But they need physical participation, also. People in your community need a helping hand as much as they need your dollars. The world at large needs to be encouraged, nurtured, and helped in a myriad of ways that involve actually getting in there and doing the work!
Should we “tithe” to the church? Yes! I know from watching my Mam-ma Polly take 10% off the top every month and give it to her church that she received countless blessings in return. She never ran short…there was always abundance in her life. But I also know that she gave far more than this 10% of her monthly Social Security pension. She gave of her time, talents, physical energy, prayers, and much more. And God blessed her greatly for her efforts.
Examine your life and prayerfully consider what you give to God…and how you give it. Are you simply writing a check and moving on with other things…or are you giving in every way that you can, to the best of your ability? Are you missing out on blessings that could be yours if you gave more creatively? Make this the season that you step outside of your comfort zone and start really “tithing” to God and His children. And if you want to come play Christmas Bingo with some second graders next week, let me know!
©2016 Debbie Robus
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so that there will be food enough in my Temple; if you do, I will open up the windows of heaven for you and pour out a blessing so great you won’t have room enough to take it in!
“Try it! Let me prove it to you!
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
I’ve been helping Timothy’s room mother “chair” with the holiday parties this year. It seems that in Zola’s kindergarten class, there are plenty of parents lined up and ready to help. By the time the children get to second grade, the enthusiasm has waned and that number has greatly dwindled. So while we have managed to get plenty of “donations” – party favors, food, and money – we have had trouble getting parents to come and actually help with activities.
For the Fall Party, more than a dozen parents actually came to the party…but only 3 or four had agreed to help serve refreshments, play games, decorate, and clean up. A week from today, we will have the Christmas party, and I will be interested to see how much physical help we are able to muster!
It’s easy to grab a few cupcakes, pick up some party favors at the dollar store, or send a check to cover the cost of decorations. It’s another to actually show up and do the work…to give time and effort. I understand that parents work - now, more than ever. But I also know that a lot of people think that it won’t be fun to help the children…or they won’t be good at it. And the truth is…the adults will get more from the experience than the children, in many instances.
Here’s the thing…a lot of us write a check for 10% to the church…and we think we are done. But I don’t believe this is what was meant by these scriptures about “tithing.” Sure…churches need money to operate. But they need physical participation, also. People in your community need a helping hand as much as they need your dollars. The world at large needs to be encouraged, nurtured, and helped in a myriad of ways that involve actually getting in there and doing the work!
Should we “tithe” to the church? Yes! I know from watching my Mam-ma Polly take 10% off the top every month and give it to her church that she received countless blessings in return. She never ran short…there was always abundance in her life. But I also know that she gave far more than this 10% of her monthly Social Security pension. She gave of her time, talents, physical energy, prayers, and much more. And God blessed her greatly for her efforts.
Examine your life and prayerfully consider what you give to God…and how you give it. Are you simply writing a check and moving on with other things…or are you giving in every way that you can, to the best of your ability? Are you missing out on blessings that could be yours if you gave more creatively? Make this the season that you step outside of your comfort zone and start really “tithing” to God and His children. And if you want to come play Christmas Bingo with some second graders next week, let me know!
©2016 Debbie Robus
