Editorial for November 10, 2005
By Jim White
Pewboy gritted his teeth and pounded the steering wheel, but it wasn't the usual heavy traffic on his Monday morning commute that caused his frustration. He couldn't get Sunday morning's sermon on tithing off his mind. Hadn't he sat through dozens of sermons on tithing without being phased? Why had this one been different?
Three pastors had served his church during the time he had been attending, and each one had soft-pedaled tithing until the church was running short of cash. Then each had rolled out Malachi 3:10 and proceeded to wax eloquent. Some more so than others. Not that he would ever choose to, but if pressed he could probably quote the verse from memory-at least the first part about bringing all the tithes into the storehouse.
Always before, Pewboy had figured that tithing was for the folks who wanted to be serious saints. His brand of Christianity had been more pragmatic. He wanted to be saved enough to go to heaven but not so saved that it caused him major inconvenience.
Maybe it was that Experiencing God course he had taken that had him so bothered. He remembered the part that said if people don't do what the Bible teaches they don't have an obedience problem; they have a love problem. He remembered, too, the crisis of belief idea. From time to time every Christian faces a choice. Either he will do what he believes God wants or he will refuse to be obedient and live with the knowledge that he wouldn't step up and be faithful. At least that's the way he remembered it.
As cars ahead of him slowed to a stop, Pewboy began a dialogue with the better part of himself-his Altar Ego.
Pewboy: “OK. Maybe I should tithe. But financially it just isn't possible for me right now. I'm sure God understands my position.”
Altar Ego: “And just what is it you think God understands? The part about what you want being more important than what he wants?”
Pewboy: “What do you mean what God wants isn't important? Of course what God wants is important. I go to church most Sundays. I just can't tithe right now. I have too many financial obligations.”
Altar Ego: “It's called debt, and it's caused by wanting things you can't afford and not having discipline enough to save money to buy them.”
Pewboy: “I hate it when you say that. You always bring that up! I don't have any more than anybody else. In fact, I think I've economized pretty well. Instead of buying the Harley that I really wanted, I sacrificed and bought a less expensive Honda.
Altar Ego: “There are words for charging what you don't really need and paying an arm and a leg in interest for what you can't really afford, but none of them is sacrifice.”
Pewboy: “But, it's the great American way. It's how the economy runs. Everybody uses their credit cards to get what they want.”
Altar Ego: “There's that word again. Want. Let's see now. So far this year you have wanted a new home theater system, a four-wheeler, an updated kitchen, a treadmill you are using as a plant stand and a nice vacation. All of which you got. And those are just the big ticket items. Tell me again what God wants?
Pewboy: OK, OK. I know. But does God really expect me to do without these things when every other family has them?
Altar Ego: “Yes. In fact, God does expect you to do without some things you want. It's called self-denial. It isn't that God wants to deprive you of happiness, it's just that God knows that stuffing your life with stuff won't make you happy. God wants you to understand that he is the source of your happiness.”
Pewboy: “You're right. But, I need help.”
Altar Ego: “Now we're getting somewhere. You want me to quote Malachi 3:10?”
Pewboy: “No! I feel guilty enough! What I need is help figuring out how I can even think about tithing. I am so far in debt to credit cards that the service charges are almost as much as my payments. Some months I end up charging more than I pay. I obviously can't quit sending them payments. I know that wouldn't please God. And as much as I want to believe that I should just start tithing cold turkey and that my creditors would get paid somehow, there just isn't enough paycheck to go around. I've made such a mess of things. How do I get it straightened out? How do I give God what he wants?”
Altar Ego: “Pewboy, you've already started. First, God wants you to admit that things in your life are not what they should be. Second, he wants you to trust him with the faith you have. You can trust him. God wasn't kidding about giving. If you can trust him enough to tithe, do it! If you can only trust him enough to start giving 3 percent then do that. But start giving at a level that matches your faith and grow from there.
Third, God wants you to learn about self-denial and delayed gratification. With the possible exceptions of major expenditures, if you can't pay for it, don't buy it. And, finally, God wants you to be free from the kind of debt that enslaves you. Talk to your pastor about it. Or, call Dr. Jeff Cranford of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board at 1-800-All BGAV. He helps Virginia Baptists with stewardship issues.
“By the way, traffic is moving. You can go.”