Why We Tithe
"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." - Malachi 3:10
Today I want to talk about something that's close to Jake's and my hearts: tithing. I know money can be an uncomfortable topic, and giving can feel scary, especially when finances are tight. But I believe God has so much to teach us through the practice of tithing, and I want to share what we've learned on our own journey of faithful giving.
What Is Tithing?
Let's start with the basics. The word "tithe" literally means "tenth," and biblical tithing refers to giving the first 10% of our income back to God through His church. This isn't a suggestion or a goal to work toward—throughout Scripture, it's presented as the baseline of faithful giving, the starting point of generosity rather than the finish line.
The principle of the tithe appears throughout both the Old and New Testaments, showing us that this isn't just an Old Testament law that's no longer relevant. Jesus Himself affirmed tithing in Matthew 23:23, saying that while the Pharisees shouldn't neglect justice, mercy, and faithfulness, they should continue practicing tithing as well.
The Heart Behind the Tithe
Here's what I've come to understand: tithing isn't really about the money. It's about the heart. When we give our first 10% to God, we're making a declaration of trust. We're saying, "God, You are my provider. I trust You with my finances, and I acknowledge that everything I have comes from You."
Proverbs 3:9-10 tells us to "honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine." Notice it says "firstfruits"—not the leftovers, not what's convenient, but the first and best of what we receive.
This principle challenges our natural tendency to pay all our bills first and then see what's left for God. Instead, God calls us to trust Him enough to give first, believing that He'll provide for our needs from the remaining 90%.
Why We Tithe Gross, Not Net
One question Jake and I wrestled with early in our marriage was whether to tithe on our gross income (before taxes) or net income (after taxes). After much prayer and study, we became convinced that we should tithe on our gross income.
Here's our reasoning: if we believe that God is sovereign over governments and that He ordains earthly authorities (Romans 13:1), then our taxes aren't separate from His provision. Our gross income is what God has entrusted to us before any deductions. Tithing on the gross shows that we trust God with our entire financial picture, not just the portion that feels "ours."
I know some faithful Christians disagree on this point, and I don't think it's a salvation issue. But for us, tithing on the gross feels like the most faithful response to God's provision in our lives.
Tithing as an Act of Worship
One of the most beautiful things about tithing is that it's fundamentally an act of worship. When we give our tithe, we're not just supporting the church's budget (though that's important too). We're participating in a form of worship that goes back thousands of years.
In the Old Testament, the Israelites brought their tithes to the temple as an offering to God. They weren't grudgingly paying a tax—they were celebrating God's goodness and provision. Deuteronomy 14:22-23 actually describes tithing as a way to "learn to revere the Lord your God always."
When we approach tithing with this heart of worship rather than obligation, everything changes. Instead of thinking, "I have to give this money away," we think, "I get to honor God with what He's given me."
God's Promise to Provide
The passage in Malachi 3:10 contains one of the most remarkable promises in all of Scripture. God actually invites us to test Him—to try Him out and see if He'll be faithful to His promise to provide. This is the only place in Scripture where God tells us to test Him, and it's specifically in the context of tithing.
Jake and I have seen this promise fulfilled in our own lives again and again. Not always in the ways we expected, and not always immediately, but God has consistently shown Himself faithful as we've been faithful in our giving. We've experienced unexpected income, reduced expenses, protection from financial disasters, and countless other ways that God has stretched our remaining 90% beyond what should have been mathematically possible.
This doesn't mean that tithing is a get-rich-quick scheme. God's blessings don't always come in the form of more money. Sometimes His blessings are peace in the midst of financial stress, contentment with what we have, or opportunities to be generous in non-financial ways. But He is always faithful to provide what we need.
Practical Challenges and How We Handle Them
Let me be honest: tithing isn't always easy. There have been months when that 10% felt enormous, when we looked at our budget and wondered how we could possibly make it work. But we've learned that these are often the very moments when our faith grows the most.
When Money Is Tight: During seasons of financial difficulty, the temptation is to skip the tithe temporarily. But we've found that these are often the times when we most need to exercise faith in God's provision. Instead of reducing our tithe, we look for other areas to cut expenses—eating out less, postponing non-essential purchases, or finding creative ways to save money.
When Income Is Irregular: Jake's income as [his profession] sometimes varies from month to month. We've learned to tithe on income as we receive it rather than trying to average it out. This means some months our tithe is larger and some months it's smaller, but we're always giving faithfully on what God provides.
When Unexpected Expenses Arise: Medical bills, car repairs, and other unexpected expenses used to tempt us to "borrow" from our tithe. But we've learned that these situations are opportunities to trust God's provision rather than reasons to compromise our giving. God knows about these expenses before they happen, and His promise to provide doesn't come with exceptions for emergencies.
Beyond the Tithe: Generous Living
While the tithe is our baseline, it's not our ceiling. As God blesses us and our financial situation improves, we want to be increasingly generous beyond our tithe. The tithe teaches us to trust God with our finances, but generous living flows from a heart that's been transformed by that trust.
2 Corinthians 9:7 reminds us that "God loves a cheerful giver." The word "cheerful" here means "hilarious"—God loves it when we give with joy and excitement rather than duty or obligation. As we've grown in our understanding of God's provision and generosity toward us, our giving has become increasingly joyful.
We've also learned to look for opportunities to be generous beyond our regular tithe—supporting missionaries, helping families in need, contributing to special church projects, and finding ways to bless others with what God has given us.
Teaching Future Generations
When Jake and I have children, Lord willing, we want to teach them about tithing from an early age. Not as a burdensome rule, but as a joyful privilege. We want them to see us giving cheerfully and to understand that everything we have belongs to God.
Deuteronomy 6:6-9 calls us to diligently teach our children God's commands and to talk about them throughout our daily lives. Tithing provides natural opportunities to teach our children about God's provision, our dependence on Him, and the joy of generous living.
We plan to help our children practice tithing with their allowances and any money they earn, not because they have to, but because we want them to experience the joy and peace that comes from trusting God with their finances from the very beginning.
Common Objections and Biblical Responses
Over the years, I've heard various objections to tithing, and I want to address a few of them:
"Tithing is an Old Testament law that doesn't apply to Christians." While it's true that we're not under the Old Testament law, the principle of giving God our first and best appears throughout Scripture, including in the New Testament. Jesus affirmed tithing, and the early church practiced generous giving that often exceeded the tithe.
"I can't afford to tithe." This is the objection Jake and I used to make, and it reveals a misunderstanding of what we can actually afford. The question isn't whether we can afford to tithe—it's whether we can afford not to trust God's promise to provide. When we hold tightly to our money instead of trusting God, we often find ourselves in more financial stress, not less.
"I give in other ways." Time and service are valuable, but they're not substitutes for financial giving. God calls us to give financially because money represents our work, our security, and often our deepest fears. Giving money requires a different kind of faith than giving time or skills.
"My church doesn't need my money." Every church faces financial needs, whether for staff salaries, building maintenance, ministry programs, or outreach efforts. Even if your church seems financially stable, your tithe is still an act of obedience and worship to God, not just a contribution to the church budget.
The Joy of Faithful Giving
After years of faithful tithing, I can honestly say that it's become one of the most joyful parts of our financial life. There's something deeply satisfying about honoring God with our first and best. There's peace in knowing that we're being obedient to His Word. And there's excitement in watching Him provide in ways we never expected.
Tithing has taught us that God is trustworthy, that His promises are true, and that generous living brings more joy than selfish spending ever could. It's shown us that our security comes from God, not from our bank account balance.
A Challenge and Encouragement
If you're not currently tithing, I want to encourage you to prayerfully consider taking this step of faith. Start where you are—even if you can't immediately give 10%, begin giving something regularly and work toward the full tithe as God enables you.
If you are tithing, I want to challenge you to examine your heart. Are you giving out of duty or joy? Are you looking for opportunities to be generous beyond your tithe? Is your giving flowing from a heart of worship and trust?
Remember, God doesn't need our money—He owns everything. But He invites us to participate in His work through our giving, and He promises to bless our faithfulness. What an incredible privilege!
Trust and Obey
Ultimately, tithing comes down to trust and obedience. Do we trust God enough to give Him our first 10%? Do we believe His promises to provide? Are we willing to obey His Word even when it feels scary or inconvenient?
Jake and I have learned that God is completely trustworthy with our finances. He's never failed to provide what we need, and He's blessed our obedience in ways we never imagined. Tithing isn't just about money—it's about learning to trust the God who loves us more than we can imagine and who promises to care for all our needs.
I pray that your own journey of faithful giving will be a source of joy, growth, and deeper trust in our incredible God.
Blessings and love,
Becca
"Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life." - 1 Timothy 6:18-19