Dollar Signs and Wonders
“Now the family heads of the Levites approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the other tribal families of Israel at Shiloh in Canaan and said to them, ‘The LORD commanded through Moses that you give us towns to live in, with pasturelands for our livestock.’”
Today’s Text: Joshua 21:1-7 (Living Life Daily Devotional)
The Levites did not get an inheritance of land like the other tribes of Israel. Instead, they were to receive the tithes of the people (Numbers 18:23-24), from which they were to offer tithes themselves (Numbers 18:26).
I give a tithe of my salary (off of gross) every month. And if I give a tithe every month, I am certain that pretty much everyone can give a tithe every month. If we can be really, really honest with ourselves (and I say this out of love, as a steward of God’s word and as a watchman over God’s people), the reason that many people do not tithe is because they trust more in the ways of the world, which is driven by money, than the ways of God, which is driven by God.
In other words, people generally have more faith in money than they do in God, and that is idolatry. Generally speaking, people hesitate to give unless they feel like they will receive a benefit in return and/or they feel like they can control exactly how their “giving” is used.
If anyone thinks that I am wrong, then let us have a friendly (and perhaps heated) conversation about this.
Such conversations would be good. But even now, some people reading this may be offended simply because I am talking about money. They may feel like I am trying to take money from their pockets. But the Bible actually does talk a lot about money, because it can be an idol.
Understandably, if people do not feel “blessed” being part of a worshiping faith community, they will not give. On the other hand, many times (maybe most of the time?), people do not feel “blessed” because of a consumerist attitude that hungers for “spiritual entertainment.”
Yes, it’s a complex, double-edged issue. But it is super important to understand that Satan will try to leverage every consumerist feeling to stoke a negative spirit in every church for the sole purpose of destroying that church and destroying lives. COVENANT should drive every thought, every decision, and every relationship—not PERFORMANCE or “PROFIT,” and not even “BLESSING.”
The pursuit of COVENANT is worship. The pursuit of “BLESSING” is idolatry.
Understandably, also, if people cannot see how their giving is being used, they will not be inclined to give, either. On the other hand, an obsessive or habitual “need” to demand such oversight and “control” over how their money is used may indicate a lack of faith in God.
Obviously, there should be financial accountability in every church. However, complete transparency can actually be very distracting, because some people may not be mature enough to see God behind the money. All they can see is the “value” of the money.
In the kingdom of God, money is a tool, not a goal.
Nevertheless, there should be good checks and balances and accountability in every church. If anyone feels that such checks and balances are not there, then they should raise the question. But the leadership also has the responsibility to guard against Satan’s attacks through such inquiries too!
If anyone feels that such accountability is in place, then he or she should tithe—or come up with a plan to start tithing. Tithing is an act of covenant worship that is born of faith.
Father, Every good and perfect gift comes from You. You provide everything that we need and more. You are the source of every blessing. Your word is the source of life. Thank You for caring and providing for Your church. Forgive us for our obsession with entertainment and wealth. Protect us from abuse. Protect us from consumerism. Protect us from idolatry. Make us to glorify Your name. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
