Proverbs 3:9-10: “Honor the Lord with thy substance and with the first fruits of all thine increase. So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.”
The word “honor” (“Kabed” in the Hebrew) in this passage has an interesting rendering. It means to “weigh down, weigh heavily, to be honored and/or to multiply.” The best word picture I have is when Mark Spitz won his 22nd medal, making him the most decorated Olympian in history, with a total of 18 gold medals, 2 silver medals, and 2 bronze medals in the 2012 Summer Olympics. You could say he was “weighed down, weighed heavily or honored” with his medals. I believe this would be the correct rendering of the word “honor.” The word “substance” would refer to the results or the effect of one’s labor. In our society, it would reference money. In an agrarian culture, it could literally refer to fruits, vegetables, grains, etc. So substance would be the reward we receive for our efforts, and to coin a phrase, “This is where the rubber meets the road.” How faith and finances find their expression through us—whether we honor the Lord with our substance—is most telling of our commitment to our faith. Therein lies the biggest potential “gap” between what we profess and what we practice. Now before I begin, I want to make it extremely clear that this is not a guilt trip. The issue of giving is between the believer and God. So the goal of any good message on tithing or giving is to share what God’s Word says and for us individually to pray and consider our response to it.
There is a verse in the New Testament that has helped me keep a balance between family obligations, bills, and tithing/giving. It is in 2 Corinthians 9:7: “… for God loves a cheerful giver.” This is a great chapter about tithing/giving. Through my years of giving, I have learned that I have benefitted the most by giving what I can give gratefully, as opposed to tithing a specific amount. I know that some of us have the conviction of giving 10 percent, and I would say that if that can be given cheerfully, as opposed to obligatorily, then that is awesome. Some of us give more than 10 percent and some give less. Regardless of the amount, if it is given cheerfully, then that is what counts. We have to remember, God isn’t going to file Chapter 11. He does not need our money, and He is bigger than our wallets. Giving, therefore, is more like investing. If I believe in a company’s principles, and I want to be a part of its future growth, I invest in it. I am confident that I will see a return on “my money” (all money is the Lord’s) as the company expands. Giving, therefore, is for my benefit, “So shall thy barns be filled with plenty and thy presses burst out with new wine.” Giving also measures our obedience, which is in direct proportion to our faith. So, to the degree that our faith is centric to our being, we give to support those ministries which will bring the “return” (people’s lives benefitted) that we seek.
A stumbling block to giving is the “psychology of money,” which can only be overcome by growing faith. Inherent within us is the need to feel secure; therefore, the more money we have, the more secure we feel, but is that true? Does money make for a good marriage, prevent divorce, give us wisdom to raise our kids, or enable us to forgive? The answer is, “No.” In fact, in many instances, having money (wealth, and wealth is relative) makes the heart more selfish and self-centered, exasperating all the problems inherent to having relationships. There are neat verses in Proverbs 30:8-9: “…give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food that is appropriate for me, less I be full and deny you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.” The man who wrote this lived in the “golden age” of Israel’s history, where “silver and gold was as common as the rocks in the streets.” He saw through the vanity of trusting wealth for one’s security and happiness, and he understood that a living relationship with the Living God is what true wealth and security is all about.
Therefore, as our faith matures, we understand this truth and seek our security from the Lord and not from money. Also, as our faith grows, we desire to faithfully use what God has blessed us with—be it our time, money, or both—and we are joyful to share or “partake” in the success of the ministries we support. Internal to my being is the desire to be pleasing to my Heavenly Father. To be able to stand before Him, knowing that I have served Him well with my (His) time and my (His) finances, and knowing I have loved His kids and my neighbors—there is nothing greater or worth striving for. As Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:7: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.” Paul got it right and lived it with his life. May he be an inspiration to all of us. As one pastor said, “It is not the amount given but what is left.” That amount is between God and the giver.
Father God,
Thank you for this study on finances and how it is a measurement of my trust and faith in You. Help me to grow my faith by spending time with You in study and prayer. Open my eyes to see that the only true security is in You, and though money may make me feel secure, it also affects my relationship with You, making me more complacent towards You. So “feed me with the food that is appropriate for me” and free me to focus on You. Thank you and Amen.
Dios lo Bendiga – Arthur