If you’ve been going to church long enough…you have surely heard someone tell a variation of a story about how just after they paid their tithing, there appeared an extra five hundred bucks in their back pocket. In many of these similar stories, the person telling the story feels that they are been rewarded financially because of their obedience to the law of tithing.
If you haven’t heard that type of story, then maybe you’ve sat with a wealthy member of the church and listened as they’ve attributed their good fortune to their diligence in paying a consistent tithe throughout their life. Provided they made their wealth legitimately, then who can find fault with them for wanting to humbly ascribe their wealth to keeping the commandments. Why wouldn’t God want to bless someone who willfully and graciously pays a tithe?
I mean, it’s right there in the scriptures over and over again right…? “Inasmuch as ye shall keep the commandments, ye shall prosper in the land.” [Source: Almost every other chapter in the Book of Mormon]
So…I’ve been thrown into a couple different quandaries:
1. What about brother so and so’s family that have faithfully paid their tithing for many many years, and yet they can’t ever seem to ever get ahead in life? They’ve “done everything right” and yet they struggle constantly…having almost nothing.
2. What about the many people that choose not to pay their tithing and yet they still seem to be able to make insane amounts of money?
Almost every time we hear a talk in Church about tithing, someone will cite the scripture in Malachi that says, “prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” (Mal 3:8-11)
Sometimes I think we hear that scripture coupled with others stories, and we might wonder, “Well…I pay my tithing…so why don’t those financial blessings happen to me also? Where are my overflowing blessings? Am I paying my tithing wrong?”
The rest of that scripture in Malachi goes like this: “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.”
So what we’re looking at are two types of blessings. The first and most appealing blessing is the promise of the windows of heaven pouring down upon us. Left to our carnal imaginations, we tend to associate this first blessing with unending temporal wealth and financial security. The second blessing regarding the “fruit of your ground” is basically saying that you will have food on the table.
[adinserter block=1]Nowhere in any scripture does it say that we’ll be made temporally rich because we paid our tithing. No prophet or apostle that I am aware of has guaranteed that. In fact, over the course of scriptural history, prophets that have consecrated all that they had remained poor because of their commitment to the gospel.
Check out what the Lord says to Joseph Smith: “For thou shalt devote all thy service in Zion, and in this thou shalt have strength.” Joseph is probably thinking in his mind…ummm so what does that mean? So in the very next verse, the Lord says…”Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many.”
And now Joseph is probably thinking “sweet…not sure where this is going.”
Then the Lord gets even more specific: “In temporal labors thou shalt not have strength, for this is not thy calling.” Meaning…you might be completely obedient to the commandments and yet still remain poor.
It’s not accurate to assume that someones wealth came as a result of excessive righteousness. The most righteous and faithful individual could struggle financially all their life, while a luke-warm inconsistent fence sitter might acquire wealth without breaking a sweat.
So…regardless of where I’ve been at financially in my life, I have always looked at paying tithing a little differently. I can’t help but look at myself as a shareholder in God’s kingdom. I think anyone that contributes to this kingdom can be considered a shareholder in that kingdom. I look at tithing as a short and long term investment. Short term because I physically see temples and churches being built around the globe. Long term because I know that according to Paul, God wants us to be “heirs”…inheritors and possessors of all that He has. I feel ownership over every asset that the church owns. I’m part of it and it is part of me. I feel like that is how God wants me to feel. Every time I enter a temple, I can honestly say that I’ve made an investment in it, however small it may be.
[adinserter block=2]I don’t think it’s blasphemous to think this way. It makes total sense to me. Think about it. God doesn’t need us to build temples, build churches, or even pay tithing. He could do it all himself. If he can assemble an earth, then he’ll have no problem assembling a temple. So why does he have us do it? Why does He watch the saints in their poverty build the Salt Lake temple for 40 years when he could have done it much faster? Why does he ask you or I to pay tithing? Why are we asked to serve in so many ways when he could just do it all?
Because these temples, meeting houses, these sacrifices are not ultimately for Him. They’re for us. God doesn’t need these things. We do. And he wants us to be invested in the process of exaltation. He wants to know if we’re willing to do what it takes to become like him…and when we’ve proven ourselves…He gives us a return on our investment beyond each of our imaginations. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” (1 Cor 2:9)
How do we show Him that we love Him? How does anyone show anyone that they love something? It has everything to do with investment. In almost every case that I can think of…a person invests the mosts in the people and things they love the most.
When I look at tithing through this point of view, it makes me appreciate the opportunity that I have to contribute and invest in something worthwhile. Many may look at it merely as an act of obedience. There is truth to that. But obedience coupled with perspective and understanding is much more powerful and exciting.
Thank you. I know I have learned this and I know it is true but you are right, we as mortals often hear the part we want to hear and hope it means what we interpret it to mean and don’t pay the needed attention to the “rest of the story”. I am so thankful that I can still learn and be reminded and humbled each and every day of the importance of living so I can return humble and grateful despite my worldly status.
I’ve had those little monetary miracles after paying tithing … and I’ve also been dirt poor after paying tithing.
I think the Lord blesses us in so many ways, but sometimes the only ones we recognize are financial. It’s the childlike mortal in all of us. We lack godly perspective, so sometimes we don’t realize good health = blessing from tithing, covenant-keeping children = blessing from tithing, increased frugality = blessing from tithing … I could go on.
Here’s the thing, though — these aren’t really blessings from paying a full tithe. These come as a result of living righteously and keeping the commandments — the law of the tithes being one of them.
The greatest blessing that comes from paying tithing? It’s a little paper card that allows you to enter the Lord’s house worthily. What greater blessing can you get?
Exactly, Jenna.
My husband and I are full tithe payers. I don’t say it to brag but to set the stage for this story. We also have a pantry full of food. In 2009, he was in a really bad motorcycle accident and stayed in the hospital and a nursing home for several months. I did not need to ask the Relief Society president to take me to the grocery store and I was paying the bills every month without any help from Bishop. I also paid tithing on my husband’s short-term disability pension. The disability insurance was almost completely uncommunicative and sometime didn’t pay what they should have. One pay period, my tithing was $3 because they “had no evidence that he was still out of work.” Nevertheless, my life went on almost as usual except my husband was not at home.
I think you were lucky…and maybe tithing had something to do with it –or not. We are in a similar situation but have needed help from others for which I am grateful and would like to think I’m not any less fortunate or blessed than you.
I believe in luck. The harder I work, the luckier I become. No, luck had nothing to do with this, preparation did, and obeying the Lord’ s commandments did.
There was a time when we were younger and had a rough time in our life and needed help. Because we were full tithe payers at the time, the Branch President and Relief Society President were able to help me ‘stretch’ my budget. (My husband had gone to Germany with the US Army. We soon followed him.) I was indeed grateful and I am also grateful that my Fast Offerings now go to help others in need.
I remember a time when my husband lost his job, God helped us in miraculous ways for him to find a new job. We moved to a place that has been a huge blessing to us. We always paid our tithing, even though I didn’t know how I would be able to pay for music lessons, etc. Kids needed new shoes…..but we paid our tithing and we always found a way to afford these things. The hand of the Lord was over our little family. We had love and happiness.
One thing I like to do when talking about tithing is rather than say “my tithing,” their tithing,” etc. is turn it around and call it what it is: the Lord’s tithing.
Window of heaven doesn’t mean vault of money or wheel Barrow of luxuries a window brings in light the sun the moon into our life. That could be direction hope inspiration clarity ..etc