To Give or Not to Give? What Is the Answer?

At one time, puppets were "it"--the epitome of all things great in children's ministry. Unfortunately, although God had begun using my talents with children, I had zilch as far as the coveted puppets were concerned. For me, buying puppets was economically unfeasible (there is a reason for the saying "poor as a church mouse"). Also unfortunately, the next best solution when outright purchases are out of the question wasn't even a remote possibility for yours truly-- what would be the use of obtaining puppet patterns to make the puppets when (sigh) I didn't know how to sew (another long story)?

Enter God's mercy. From her husband, who had gone to Mexico to minister, a minister's wife heard about me and how God used me in children's ministry. The Lord quickened her heart and, knowing how to sew, she made and sent me not one, not two, but FOUR wonderful puppets--a whole family: mom, dad, brother, sister.

I was fit to be tied--in fact, I was ecstatic! Believe you me, those puppets got used stateside as well as in Mexico --they made for enchanting and captivating additions to Bible stories. They were nothing short of a great asset in the children's ministry God entrusted to me. I am eternally grateful to that pastor's wife. I never met her, I don't know her name, but she invested into God's outreach to children and will reap the reward King David said pertained to those who "stayed behind" ( I Samuel 30:21-25).

Why on earth would that pastor's wife bless me so much sight unseen? First of all, because she was obedient to what God told her. And, secondly, to my dying day I will believe that part of the reason came from my faithful tithing. In Malachi 3:10 God sets out one of those "if you do this, I will do that" promises. If we are faithful to tithe, He will "pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."

The question has been asked, what of people in third world countries where poverty is rampant? Is God's word true there also? Let me share a heart-lifting story with you.

My husband and I were called to minister at a church and Bible school in Mexico for several years. Shortly after our arrival, I was thrust into the children's ministry (and yes, thrust is the correct word--my carnal self wanted to support my husband by staying in the adult services and forego all children's ministry, but the gifts and callings of God are without repentance [Romans 11:29] and I am grateful to say that I was nudged out of my comfort zone by forces beyond my selfish desires with deeply satisfying results). My puppets were put to use, and things began to roll along just hunky dory.

One thing I did not have, though, was curriculum, so every week I would pray for God's guidance and develop flannelgraph, skits, puppet shows, games, things that would enhance the theme of the lesson God laid on my heart. One week I had a knock-out drag-out fight with God. He told me to teach about tithing.

"Are you crazy, God????" (I know, I know. God is not crazy but that's how I felt.) "These children are poor. If they have two pesos to rub together, that's saying a lot. How can I ask them to give the little bit of money that they have??? I can't do that!"

I love it when God gently prods you in the right direction. With quiet benevolence, He led me down a path of recognizing Biblical economy. The first thing He led me to realize was that tithing is not a whim legislated by selfish me--it is a mandate set forth by God in His eternal Word. Secondly, He had me realize that the money was not going into my pocket but God's. There was no reason to feel guilty! Last, the tithe belonged to Him. It didn't matter how much the children had left in their pockets after they gave their tithes and offerings. That was not my purview. My responsibility was to teach the children God's Word. The results--and any resulting paucity in their purses--were God's responsibility.

So I gird myself like a man and bit the bullet.

The pastor had said monies gathered from the children could be spent on them, so, with his blessing, I set forth the truths about giving to God before the children. I let them know that we would save their tithes and offerings in order to purchase a new puppet. And how they loved those puppets!

The next Sunday, some boys from one of the poorest families in the church brought a large plastic bag, somewhat bigger than a gallon Ziplock, filled to overflowing with coins. I smiled brightly as they offered their "mite'" to God with joyful exuberance. But my heart sank within me. That money was obviously more than a tithe. It clearly represented unknown weeks of laborious saving.

"God," I cried, "just look at this! What am I going to do? I can't not receive their offering. I can't tell them, 'I'm sorry, you are too poor to give to God'--But it is obviously a great sacrifice for them! Please, please recompense them for their joyful giving!"

Well, God is nothing if not faithful. A few weeks later, a sister from the church told the boys' mother that she wanted to buy new clothes for her three boys. Off they went to a store similar to Walmart. The sister in the Lord who took them called out to the oldest who was changing, "Do the pants fit?"

"Yes," came a meek little voice from the far regions of the changing room.

Hmm …. something (or was it Someone????) moved the sister to ask him to come out and show them how the pants looked on him.

It's a good thing she did! The pants were so tight the zipper couldn't be zipped but halfway up! Those children had never had brand new clothes and didn't know that you could pick a bigger size that fit right!

About a year after the great sacrifice on the children's part, a new blessing appeared on that little family's horizon. Up to then, this family lived in a dirt floor hovel; after the children began tithing, they were able to acquire a block home with a cement floor! I am sure those sweet parents had a part in faithful giving, but I know in my heart of hearts that God was rewarding the children's obedience to His Word.

What about countries, you say, in which Christians are persecuted? God's Word is God's Word. Even if persecution is part of the equation, tithing is not something invented or contrived by money grubbing wolves seeking to exploit God's sheep. No matter what bad people do, It does not negate a Christian discipline established by our Heavenly Father.

We have been privileged to sit under the ministry of a minister from such a country, a country in which every believer can rest assured that professing his or her allegiance to Jesus will lead to nothing less than persecution and loss of property. In his country, Christians are persecuted to such a degree that his denomination stipulates that no one can even aspire to become a pastor unless he/she has been jailed for at least two years. During one of those times when he was serving God in prison, he, as always, was faithfully sharing God's Word--even the part about tithing. The believers there in the prison were anxious to follow God's principles and began to look around to see how they could tithe, even in their confinement. They had no money, but they realized that they did have something of value which they could tithe--the daily ration of water they were given! From that day on each believer began to tithe from their portion of water, giving it to the minister!

I do not know how God blessed those precious men, but since His Word is irrevocably true., we can rest assured that if they were not recompensed here on earth, they, dying in faith, would receive their reward at a later date (Hebrews 11:39-40).

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33).