We continue in the series ‘Highest & Best’, taking up the subject of giving back to the Lord. People are hesitant to talk about money. People are ESPECIALLY hesitant to talk about how much they put in the offering plate on Sunday! Why? Are you ashamed of how little your giving? Are you fishing around in your purse or wallet hoping you’ll find some money in there before the usher gets to you? A couple of things on that: God asks us to give purposefully (that is, we’ve already decided how much we’re going to give and have it ready when the time comes), and that we should be happy that we have the opportunity to give back to Him (2 Cor. 9:7). Under the Law of Moses, the Jews were told to give back a tenth of their wealth to God. Under the Law of Christ, we are to give as we have gained in this past week (1 Cor. 16:1-2). We’re not given a percentage, rather God leaves it up to us how much we give. Given all the blessings we have under Christ, shouldn’t we at least be giving a tenth back to Him? It might sound crass to connect money with blessings. But the New Testament is replete with doing just that; showing us that if we want to reap abundantly then we must sow abundantly (Gal. 6:7; 2 Cor. 9:6).
