Why it pains me to pay tithe

By: Pastor Jamison Wallington

Trying my hardest to make it happen every two weeks, from when I see my paystubs
emailed to me on a Thursday night and writing the check Sabbath (Saturday) morning, I pay tithe
for my family. It isnt a light sum each month either, in fact it matches the amount, more or less,
which we pay for food for a family of two adults, a toddler and a newborn (by the way, formula
isnt cheap). Usually Im in a rush on Saturday mornings so I dont give much thought to the
number of zeros behind the initial letter, dashing my name along the signature panel and writing
tithe in the memo. But then it dawns on me, tithe, even at 10% of my income, is substantial. In
fact, it is so substantial that it is more than a monthly bill for daycare costs for two full days a
week; it is a couple hundred more than my previous Prius car payment and it is virtually half of
my mortgage payment. It dawns on me what I could do with that money I could save it for a
rainy day, I mean after all I need to replace my shocks on my car, which Goodyear quotes me at
$1000.00; I could even use that nifty 10% on a vacation for my family; I could also use it to pay
back my familys massive amount of private school debt. So why does it pain me so much,
because I have a mistaken idea, or ideas, about tithe.
1. I have the mistaken idea that the money I give to the church is mine. This is probably
the biggest problem I face after I realize that 10% of my income leaves the benefit of my
hands. The Psalmist makes this statement very clear that God doesnt need our sacrifices,
whether of dollar bills or bulls because God owns it all: For every beast of the forest is
Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. (Ps. 50:10, NKJV). God doesnt need my
money. God doesnt delight in my money. God doesnt put my money in some bank
account watching it gain interest. No. God says, I already own that 10%, actually I own
the other 90% also, but I just want you to give me a portion back out of respect for Me.
For some reason, when I wrote that tithe check out, and visions of vacations, food, or
rainy-day savings pop into my head, I forget that God owns all of those aspects of my life
as well.
2. I have the mistaken idea that God wont take care of me. Many times, in writing out
those tithe checks and turning them in every two weeks, I worry. I worry about What
happens if I lose my job? or What happens if an unexpected expense comes up? or
What about the benefits that this money could have for my family? In each of these,
and many more unwritten questions, I make the deadly mistake of doubting Jesus when
He very plainly says I take care of the birds and the flowers of the field spin because of
Me. (Matt. 6:25-34, my paraphrase). But, every two weeks, I sit back and doubt. I say
Of course you take care of the birds, they build their own nests out of the sticks from my
mortgage-paid bush out front. and I say Of course you cause the flowers to grow but I
pay the water bill. So I doubt. I doubt that the 10% of my tithe is being used in the best
manner, for both the seen and unseen mission of the church. So, my hand shakes when
I place the envelope into the collection plate Saturday mornings, will you really take care
of me?
3. I have the mistaken idea that I will be wealthy and have excessive surplus if I tithe.
Point 2 above often leads us to over exaggerate. We tend to think Gods got my back, I
will have full storehouses if I tithe, no worries. Which actually leads me to more worry

the next time I write the check and see the zeros not only on my tithe check but also the
numbers nearing zero in my checking account. I have heard sermons based on the
concept of Give to God and He will surely bless you. and I have also seen the guilt and
frustration of families that decided to put food on their table rather than pay tithe and now
feel they have not only robbed God (Mal. 3) but are being punished by an unloving
God because of their decision. While Malachi does seem to refer to material blessings as
part of the reward for giving God back His own money, that isnt the only blessing one
should observe that Ancient Israel was promised if they followed Gods command.
Rather, the Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary suggests that there are several
areas of prosperity and wealth that could be expected:
a. Holiness of character
b. The blessings of health
c. Superior intellect
d. Skill in agriculture and animal husbandry
e. Unparalleled prosperity
f. National greatness
If you have questions or want more details, please read pages 27 and on in the fourth
volume of the SDA commentary. But my point here is simple, as well as made by the
commentary, that The material advantages that Israel enjoyed were designed to arrest
the attention and catch the interest of the heathen, for whom the less obvious spiritual
advantages had no natural attraction. (SDAC, vol. 4, 29).
My point is this here in number 3: if we give to God so that we may receive
material wealth as the benefit, we have had the wrong motives. Jesus says it clearly Do
not lay up yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves
break in and steal; (Matt. 6:19, NKJV). Rather, we are to use our resources God blesses
us with to not only point others to the God that gives us these blessings (money, houses,
cars, children, etc.) but also to use our resources to the benefit of others just read the
Book of Acts and Epistle of James if you have questions on how to equalize wealth rather
than hoard it for ourselves.
I understand the above list is neither comprehensive nor complete. I also understand I
have left a lot of room open for interpretation and have even interpreted it to my own context.
While I openly admit that it pains me to pay tithe, the reason it is painful is because of my own
misunderstandings. Tithe is not to be used with the greedy concept of expecting materialistic
blessings or a tax deduction next April, rather it is done to say we are dependent upon God and
we humbly ask that He continue to intervene in our lives, provided how He sees fit and removing
the American-Instant Satisfaction-Money Back Guarantee-Dream from our lives. We must
surrender to Him what He has generously given to us.