Are You the Pig or the Cow?
“The richest man in town met with a minister after the Sunday service. ‘Why does everyone call me cheap and stingy,’ complained the man. ‘I’ve told everyone I’m leaving half my money to the church when I die.’ The minister nodded. ‘It reminds me of the story about the pig and the cow. The cow was much loved by the farmer and his neighbors, while the pig was not popular at all. The pig could not understand this and asked the cow about it. ‘How come you are so well liked, cow? People say you’re good because you give milk and butter and cream every day. But I give more than that. From me they get bacon and ham, pork chops and more’ they even pickle my feet. But no one likes me, and they love you. Why do you think that is?’ The cow looked down at the pig and answered, ‘Perhaps it’s because I give while I’m still alive.’”
A study revealed that only 12% of Christians tithe. The Bible even tells us that if we do not tithe we are robbing God. Malachi 3: 8-10, “Begin by being honest. Do honest people rob God? But you rob me day after day. ‘You ask, ‘How have we robbed you?’ ‘The tithe and the offering - that’s how!’” As a Christian we should know that tithing is a lifestyle that leads to God’s blessings. It puts everything, including our wallet, in the right priority. God should have first place in our lives and we should trust Him to give us all that we need. Deuteronomy 14: 22-23, “Make an offering of ten percent, a tithe, of all the produce which grows in your fields year after year. Bring this into the Presence of God, your God, at the place he designates for worship and there eat the tithe from your grain, wine, and oil and the firstborn from your herds and flocks. In this way you will learn to live in deep reverence before God, your God, as long as you live.”
People have financial consultants but they often do not realize that they have the best financial consultant possible. And He is free and available 24/7! 2 Corinthians 9: 6, “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” The Bible commands us to tithe. The definition of tithe is one tenth of annual produce or earnings. God said you can "test” him with finances. I suggest you do! Malachi 3: 10, “‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”
I believe tithing is a heart issue because it is that when we realize that God has given us more than we can ever give back to Him, that we are happy and blessed to share. We find the tenth is a standard but to go beyond the tithe is an indication of our gratefulness for God’s gifts to us. And that joy in our heart about giving is a direct expression of our trust in God to meet our needs. Philippians 4: 19, “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” 2 Corinthians 9: 7, “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
Tithe and watch the blessings flow. You cannot and will not out-give God!