Giving 10 percent

By Tyler Tankersley

When I was a kid, my allowance was $10 a week. I had to complete a series of chores in order to earn the money. My parents told me one of the ways we show love to God is by giving at least 10 percent of our resources to support God's ministry in the world.

I figured that meant I owed God $1 every Sunday morning; however, I really did not feel like taking that dollar out of my hard-earned allowance.

So, I devised a scheme to beat the system. My father had a change jar in his closet. Every Sunday morning, I would sneak to his change jar, take out four quarters and place those in the offering plate.

Everybody was happy. I got to keep my $10, and God got his dollar.

Nobody likes to talk about tithing in church. It is one of those spiritual disciplines we would just rather ignore.

Pastors feel uncomfortable talking about it because they are afraid they will be perceived as snake-oil salespeople. Congregants are uncomfortable talking about tithing because while they are OK with the Gospel invading their work lives, home lives and even their bedrooms, most of them would prefer the Gospel stop just short of their wallets.

We need to tithe, however.

Not only does tithing support endeavors of ministry, but it also helps to free us from worshiping our money and possessions.

When we agree to give away a portion of our income, it is an act in which we declare our bank accounts do not get the ultimate say on the value of our lives.

Tithing also helps remind me that what I consider to be "mine" is not really mine; it belongs to God.

In his book on the spiritual discipline of tithing, the writer Douglas Leblanc says, "As we open our otherwise tight grip on what we think of as our money, we begin to realize it has come our way only by the grace of God."

Those of us who serve as leaders in a church, whether we are clergy or laity, also need to realize that churches must be places that act as responsible stewards of our given funds.

People rightly will be suspect to tithe to a church if it seems as if their primary concerns are creature comforts or insular programs.

Churches must listen to the voice of both the Holy Spirit and to the community in addressing needs.

If a church is not utilizing its resources in a responsible manner, congregation members have a duty to call their leaders to task.

Tithing as a spiritual practice does not mean we should become unengaged about how God's money is used by our leaders.

I missed the point of tithing when I was a kid. As an adult, writing that weekly check has not become easier.

I believe it is what God has called me to do, however. And I have faith those funds will be used to spread God's love in ways I could scarcely imagine.

When I can will myself to remember that, writing that check doesn't seem so hard, after all.