Should I give to the church?

This should be a very obvious answer, right?

You would be surprised, when it comes to money how stingy people can get. They will give the church dollars but never a twenty, or they will justify why they cant afford to give money to the church.

Often times I see the basket when I participate in my monthly tidings. What I mean by see, is look inside. I can’t help it, I stare inside, and of course I am never surprised. The basket is empty, I have even seen change at the bottom- thinking to myself, imaging me pulling out a handful of change out of my pocket and dropping it in…How can people do that, is God not even worth more than a handful of change?

How much do you spend on coffee a week? At least $20?….

I remember when I was taking a class at college, It was a micro economics class. The professor was discussing opportunity cost. Everyone rationalizes when it comes to purchases. For instance, the cost of a cup of coffee for some is justified by its convenience, or the satisfaction. However, for others, the idea of $4 for a cup of coffee is absurd. However, the person that might never spend $4 on a cup of coffee would be willing to spend $120 on a pair of shoes, and the person that’s willing to spend $4 on a cup of coffee shops at value village, and has never bought new clothes.

You see, prioritizing is in the value of the beholder. People rationalize differently. Consumer behavior is one of the most unpredictable areas in marketing. You can never predict what people will do, but you can start trends and tell them what they need to buy. What they wouldn’t be able to live without.

Do you tide at church? And if you do, do you for God or for people?

I can tell you one thing, when you don’t hold back with giving to God, God doesn’t hold back giving to you. He will bless you unconditionally. And before I start to sound like a heretic, like many of the prosperity preachers I want to clarify one thing. Blessing isn’t always financial. God may bless you in health, in relationships, in happiness, or in wealth…But it isn’t an investment, its not like a IRA or a mutual fund where you expect to reap monetary profits. God isn’t the stock market.

The idea of giving to the church is not only because of the money. In reality, God doesn’t need your money! You think God wouldn’t be able to survive if you did’t donate?

God needs your obedience. He needs your time. Because the reality is TIME=MONEY

We all in some form have to work for our money, and if your’e sitting at home on welfare and choose not to work, God doesn’t need your money, there’s a whole other list with whats wrong with that situation. SO we will not get into that, for the Bernie Sanders voters. (HAHA)

When you donate 10% of your proceeds you are donating 10% of your time to God. You are dedicating your time for the church.

Is giving money to the church the only way you can help? Of course not, many people spend hours taking care of chores, helping with classes, watching, everything that’d needed for the church. Some people really can’t afford to give much to the church, and that’s okay.

Its when the person drives a new hummer, but his hands will be shaking to even tide $100. Its like really, you should be ashamed. God has blessed you beyond your dreams and you act like all that money is your own doing.

God also wants you to tide with a sincere heart. Many people have a hard time tiding and act like they are returning a debt. God isn’t a Loan office. You aren’t paying him  interest for being alive. You are simply dedicating your time as a form of worship. When you do this with an open heart, God will see that and he will bless you.

But is church the only place you can give money to? Of course not, you can go to the homeless shelter. This last December me and a friend decided to take a drive down to the homeless shelter to find a means to help the homeless. We were trying to volunteer but they didn’t have much for us to do, So I decided to pick out a gentlemen from the cafeteria and take him on a shopping spree.

As I entered the cafeteria I didn’t know how to pick a sincere individual that would actually be thankful, and appreciate what we were going to do for him.

So I heard a voice in the back of my head, as I seen a piano in the back of the room; “go play the piano and see if anyone notices..” As i walked back to the piano, I began to play. After playing a few songs I turned around and noticed on guy clapping, out of the hundred plus guys there. I was shocked, someone actually sincere. So i walked up to him and told him. ” We are going to take you shopping…” He was speechless, he didn’t realize we were serious. So interestingly enough, another guy overheard this and said oh can I come?….So I agreed.

As we were driving to the store, I got to know them a little and to my surprise the man I had chosen was an ex graduate from Texas university. In fact, he had his masters degree. I was shocked how life had changed for him.

Long story short, Instead of simply giving money to a church, I went out of my way to help the needy, someone that actually needed it desperately. And this also gave me the opportunity to testify to them about Jesus. So giving to the church is the easisest way to give God your time but not the only way.

So if you don’t like giving money to the church, go out and help the needy. Help someone that is struggling. God wants your time, your sincerity, your obedience. This must all be done with a giving heart. Not a heart of regret, or remorse. Even if you have to think about it more than once, it already shows how much you idolize your money.

Give to Caesars that which is Caesars and to God that which is Gods….