My husband and I were only 20 when we got married. Neither of us had been financially independent from our parents until the day we said, “I do.” I was extremely frugal. So frugal, in fact, that I limited Ty to only one piece of cheese on his sandwiches. Cheese is expensive, ya know.
Anyway, despite my tight grip on our pocketbook, I was determined to tithe. This was both the result of watching my parents tithe and my growing devotion to the Lord. Tyler, on the other hand, had not been raised to give a tenth of his income, and it made him really uncomfortable. Luckily for him (well, at least in this case), I am a determined woman who doesn’t have time for the word no. I knew about the promise God made in Malachi to his people (quoted below), and I was fearful of cheating Him.
“‘Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, ‘I will open the windows of Heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!’” Malachi 3:10 (NLT)
While Tyler and I were driving to drop off the controversial tithe, he expressed the same doubt every human being on earth has had (if they admit it). “How can we be financially better off with only 90% of our income?” I didn’t have an answer. I remember saying, “I don’t know. But we have to do this, because it’s the right thing to do. Plus, He said, ‘Test me on this!’ That must mean He’s serious.” So, my sweet husband reluctantly agreed to tithe. The check was delivered…discussion over…and life returned to a state of peace and normalcy.
Immediately afterwards, he and I went to the golf store.
Let me just break to tell you that my husband LOVES golf. It’s his passion, it’s his calling (he thinks), and it’s the topic of nearly every conversation we have. He’s not just passionate about playing golf; he loves, loves, loves golf equipment. For every birthday, Christmas, anniversary, Valentine’s, President’s, Memorial, and Arbor Day he asks for some kind of golf gadget. He’s a man obsessed.
Anyway, so he wanted to go to the golf store to peruse the aisles, shelves, and backroom for a new driver (or, as my nephew would call it, the “smacker”). As we walked in, he was instantly drawn to the used golf club section. Would you believe it? A gently used, practically new, blue shafted, square head Nike smacker was nestled in the midst of all the older, less desirable, used golf clubs. This was the club he wanted more than anything. It was supposed to drive straighter and farther than any driver on the market. (Any golfers out there know that the square head driver was a big deal in 2007. This was new technology, and it wasn’t cheap.) If purchased brand new, this driver would have set us back over $400, something we just didn’t have. But the price tag revealed he could have this club for less than half. My man was excited. He got the club, and we left.
Hours go by before I realized one all-important detail: the difference between the cost of a new Nike square head driver and the one Tyler bought (with a superior, non-stock shaft, I might add) equaled the exact amount of our tithe offering. It took God about 20 minutes to make up our 10%, and He did it in the most thoughtful way. Tyler loved golf, so God gave him a gift. And, it wasn’t even a holiday.
So, how about you, friend? Have you tested God on the issue of tithing? As a result, have you personally witnessed the miraculous abundance of God pouring into your life? Or, are you still not sure that tithing is for the modern, New Testament believer?
I can only attest to what God has done in my own life. God proved His Word stands and works today just as it did for the Israelites so long ago. His promises are for whosoever will…so, will you? Try Him. Put Him to the test. I dare you.
Love to you all,
Kaime
