“Operate with this until I come back.” I read those words tonight in Luke 19. The idea that “the master” has entrusted us with a lump [of money, talent, ability] to use to our best until he comes back is an interesting one. When he does come back, will I have been the guy who doubled what I was given? Or will I be the loser who played it safe and buried it? Sometimes that is how I feel about my life.
The whole concept of tithing is tied in here somewhere, I am sure of it. The problem with tithing is that sometimes I don’t feel like giving. Or sometimes I feel like if I do, then I won’t be able to meet my obligations. On the one hand, you have someone saying “Well, you have to give to God or he won’t bless you. Besides, He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, He will just sell one off and take care of you.” And that point is somewhat valid. He does take care of me. Always has. But I don’t want to give with an expectation that God is going to bless me back for doing it. When I give, I want to do with without [honestly] expecting anything in return. And that is hard.
But then the other side is that shouldn’t we honor our obligations? Does God need our money or does he want us to be faithful to Him by paying our debts?
And why the huge focus on money all the time? How about time or talents? Should you not tithe them too? Can you imagine if we actually gave10% of our time to God every week? That would be 2.4 hours every day. That would be nearly 17 hours every week in just spending time with God or actively doing something for him. I don’t know many people who do that. I know I don’t.
Anyway… I have digressed. Operate with this until I come back. Can I do that? Will I be a risk taker and and good steward at the same time? “Risk your life for my sake and you will get more than you dreamed of…” God I want that.