We know that Jesus gave us many commands to help us live holy lives. All the commands direct us toward God and toward neighbor. One such command is found in Luke 6:38 where Jesus says, “Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Now this particular command Jesus does not specify what we are to give, but when we give, it promises that it will be returned to us in a cup that is running over. Personally, I am glad Jesus does not specify exactly what we are to give because this works to our advantage. Here is how. Anything we give is multiplied and returned back to us. If we give our money, money is multiplied. If we give our time, our time is multiplied. If we give our talents, our talents are multiplied. If we give our love, love within us is multiplied so we have an ever greater capacity to love. I have been blessed to have been given an opportunity in the last few years to give of all the four: Money, Time, Talent and Love. But the one that I have been giving the longest is money, so I want to talk about that.
I started to give a tenth of my income to God’s work seven years ago at a time I was in a severe financial crisis. I was debt ridden. I had no savings and owned no property. On top of this I had financial obligations that had to be paid out in US dollars. The first few months of tithing were very hard. I was tempted often to stop or reduce the percentage. A tenth of my salary amounted to a healthy sum. I would be tempted to visualize all the ways in which I could spend that 10% to alleviate my financial situation. But I resisted the temptation I faithfully gave: a portion to the church where I received my sacraments, a portion to my prayer group that was helping me grow spiritually, a portion to missions abroad, and a portion for spontaneous charity towards individuals I knew were in need.
In these seven years of faithful giving of a tenth of my income, I can testify that God has been faithful to his promises, in both, Malachi 3:10-12 which says “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” and also Luke 6:38 “Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Since I came to Dubai in 2004, I have never been without a job except once for a brief period six months during which time God provided for all my needs. My income has steadily increased and my lifestyle has improved along with it. I have never had a health problem except for an occasional cold or flu and an intermittent backache which is more than manageable. And because God knew I could not manage my finances, two years ago He brought into my life a life partner, who unlike me, is excellent at managing finances. She put my financial house in order in no time and supported my practice of tithing. I also experienced a complete sense of financial security which comes from knowing that a portion of my income was regularly supporting God’s work here on earth. If my income is affected, God’s work is affected. It is in God’s interest to help me maintain my income.
Let’s just say for instance that I am sponsoring a seminarian for priesthood or paying fees for a disabled person to stay in a care home. If I lose my income, God has to find an alternate means to take care of them. And this world, there is shortage of givers. So the more I invest in God’s work, the more secure my income.
Now these are only the material benefits of tithing. There are others benefits as well. God has made it easier for me to trust in Him for my provisions. I feel less attached to money or possessions than I used to before I began to tithe. It is easier for me to give. The grip on money and material possessions has been loosened. I worry less about these things which gives me more peace. But even more importantly are the benefits I am accruing in heaven. For every penny that I give to God, he is crediting to my account with a hundred fold interest in heaven, where “neither moth destroys nor thieves break in and steal”- Matthew 6:19-21
Now you might say that all of this sounds very selfish and business like. I give just so I may receive even more. In some ways, it is that. But over time my attitude towards giving has changed. I no longer give because I will receive a hundred fold in return. I now give simply out of love for Jesus, because it gives me immense joy to please him and to obey his commands. Initially, I started giving for ME, but I now I give for Jesus. Even if he did not bless me (which would not happen as He will not go against His word), I will still continue to give because of the joy it brings me.
If you are struggling financially, especially if you have a job but you find that your money simply vanishes at the end of the month, start giving to God and see the miracle. If you are doing well financially but find yourself unhappy or unable to put that wealth to good use, start giving some of it back to God (it all belongs to Him in the first place) and see the miracles that will take place in your life. He will bless you in both cash and kind. Both in this world and the world to come.
Jaime DeMelo
HSI Media
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