Generous Givings Reap Generous Blessings

"Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in the temple. "If you do," says the Lord of Heaven's army's, "I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!"
                  -Malachi 3:10

I feel as though this is always a challenging subject for people because our culture places such an emphasis on money and the importance of having it. But our first priority should be to give our ten percent to God before we worry about paying anything off. Yes, I am only a sophomore in College and I don't yet know the stress of paying off a house, my own car, my own phone bill, and random bills that come in from the unexpected things in life, BUT I have seen way too many times people that even when it seems like they are broke and wont' be able to pay anything they give what they owe back to God and they give it gladly and the result is always that God provides for them in some way. But it is not always just money that we have to offer. As an RA, I give ten percent of my paycheck for sitting desk every week. But once I give my ten percent, what do I have left to give? Time. Talents. Gifts that God has given. I mean that is really what tithes are, isn't it? Giving God back the gifts he has given us. He has given us life and so we give our lives to him. He has given me the gift of singing so I give my time and talents to him in such a way as to bring glory to him.

We are told never to test God but here in Malachi, it seems as though we are to be giving in such a way that God will have to prove himself to us. Time and time again, I have seen God prove himself when people and myself on some occasions give to him happily and willingly. We serve an awesome God who wants nothing but the best for us and is ready to bless us generously but first we must give generously and happily.

"How are you using what God gave you? It may be a tithe of time, talents, or treasure. How can you help those whom God has brought across your path? What about that single-mother waitress struggling to care for her and feed her children? Does a coworker going through a divorce need an encouraging word? What about that neighbor who can't pay the electric bill this month and is in jeopardy of having the power turned off?"
        -Tony Dungy; The Uncommon Life Daily Challenge