The musings of ME:
SAH mother of 3 kids, spouse of a doctor-in-residency, caretaker and teacher of random children.


Sunday, February 1, 2009

Testimony

If I don't get a chance (courage) to bear my testimony today in church, then I just want everyone to know that I have a very stong testimony of the necessity to pay tithing. Personally, I can't afford not to pay my 10%.

When Ben started school and I quit working, we didn't pay tithing because we didn't have an income. Before that, we were always full tithe payers. Since starting my business, we haven't paid tithing. Not because we didn't want to, didn't have the money, or didn't have a testimony of tithing, but because we simply weren't sure at what point we had started to make a profit after all our start-up and monthly expenses. To pay tithing required that we sit down, look at our records and figure out what we have actually earned from the business. Neither of us have had the chance to do that. I guess we have procrastinated. We knew we would have to do this in January anyway when we got ready to file our taxes so we figured we'd just calculate it then.

Not a good idea.

In the last week, my car wouldn't start - needed a new battery. Ben got a flat tire. My dishwasher is making a funny sound and a melting wax smell wafts from it during the drying cycle, but dishes are coming out clean, so I have to call someone about that on Monday. Then today I walked into the laundry room only to step in a large puddle of water seeping from the washing machine. Arrgh!

That doesn't even include all the sicknesses we have had at my house in the last month. This morning after the puddle incident I looked at Ben, and in frustration I said, "Seriously, who did we tick off?" He laughed and said, "The tithing check is in my wallet." He had woken up early and looked at our records and estimated how much he thought we needed to pay. I guess if we need to pay more or less, we'll find out when we do our taxes.

Anyway, I do have a strong testimony of tithing and paying it promptly, whenever that is for you. I know we have procrastinated, and I feel strongly that we are having to learn our lesson about that. I know when we give back to the Lord, he blesses us for it, and when we don't, well...chaos ensues.

4 comments:

Russell Earl Kelly said...

Tithing is far from being the only test in the Bible. The entire OT law with over 600+ commands was a test.

Gal 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.

The only way to claim blessings from tithing was to obey all 600+ commands of the OT law which was impossible.

NT giving is sacrificial. For many that means more than 10% and for some it means less than 10%. The equality principle of 2 Cor 8:12-15 should guide our giving ---not tithing.

www.tithing-russkelly.com

Shana said...

AMEN to that sister!

Kirsten said...

You know what's funny, I wanted to get up yesterday and bear mine about tithing too, but just never felt the right moment....and so lost my nerve! Thanks girl, now I am inspired!

nikko said...

Thank you for sharing!