What is the most important thing you do with your money? What carries with it the biggest consequences? How do you make sure you always pay your mortgage, or your insurance?

Allow me a bit of latitude, if you will (please read at least to the end of the paragraph that follows this one), to suggest that the most important thing you do with your money, the thing that carries with it the biggest consequences, is returning the first portion of any money you make to the Lord. It is more important than the money you spend on food, on a place to live, on your family, and even more important than any money you give away to help people (yes, even through the church). The church-y word for this is tithe.

If you’re still reading, thank you! Please believe me when I say that God doesn’t need your money. And believe me when I tell you that I believe that the church would get along just fine without your money. But, I almost as firmly believe that you will not get along just fine without tithing.

How can tithing possibly be the most important thing you do with your money?

It puts God’s gifts to you in perspective. (they are all His gifts)
It honors God.
It teaches you to trust in the Giver, and not the gifts.

Have you ever wondered why conversations about how much you pledge to give to the church can be stressful? Or why sometimes it’s hard to just give what you say you want to or feel like you give? Check your grip on your money, and where your trust is. Do you trust more in the gift, in your ability to manage the gift, or in the Giver?

I can tell you from experience that God will work in you through your first fruit offering to Him. He’ll stretch your trust, and help you loosen your grip on your money. The gift will no longer run the show. What bigger consequences are there than becoming a slave to an insatiable master, who never intends to let you go free, or to let you live the life you were created to live.

Now, things with far lesser consequences you pay on time, every month. You might even set up an auto payment. So why wouldn’t you consider making your offering a recurring payment?

I want to challenge you to give it a shot. Sign up for our new database (Elexio) if you haven’t already, and log in to the web portal to schedule recurring online payments.