I've heard it said before, but for some reason, it really hit me as I was reading Philippians 4.
Giving is an act of worship.
It is not a duty.
It is not a responsibility.
It is worship.
In Philippians 4:18, Paul says, "I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God." That text jumped out to me. "A fragrant offering." "A sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God." I know those terms are used for Old Testament sacrifices and offerings, but they are also used to describe prayer. I think that's what the key was for me. I've always seen the offerings of the Old Testament and tithing/giving as related. They both seemed to be duties that we, as believers, were required to do, not really acts of worship.
Sadly I don't think I am the only one who has this misconception. While we say giving is "worship" we teach that it is "duty". We emphasize that it must be done, not why we are doing it. Why is this? I suspect it is strongly related to a lack of faith. People struggle with trusting that God will supply their needs, so they restrict their giving. Churches feel the pinch to their budgets, and instead of trusting that God will provide, they start emphasizing the importance of giving, which reinforces the concept that this is an act of duty, not one of worship.
We know that God considers giving an act of worship, but how is it really worship? First of all, we're acknowledging that everything already belongs to God, and expressing gratitude for what He has entrusted us with. By giving our offering, we are acknowledging that God is in authority, all we have belongs to Him, and whatever He asks of us is just. Secondly, we are trusting God to provide for our needs. God knows what we need. He knows about our bills. He has promised to meet those needs. Giving is us acting on our faith in Him. It is uncomfortable. It requires us to step out and live our faith rather than merely verbally asserting it.
Does God need us to give Him money? Absolutely not! Do we need a regular, physical reminder of our absolute dependence on Him? Absolutely!
Does this mean that we should sign over every dime that God has entrusted to us, giving it all back to Him? Most assuredly not. God is sovereign. He has foreordained the end of the world ever since the beginning. He knows when each of us will leave this mortal plain, and He is omnipotent, fully able to ensure that His plan is fulfilled. That doesn't mean we cross the street without looking both ways. He has given us the freedom to choose and to act. With that freedom comes the responsibility to excercise it wisely. That means looking both ways before crossing the street. That also means wisely using the resources He has provided for us. Am I advocating always tithing 10% everytime the plate is passed? No. The concept of a tithe is a decidedly Old Testament concept, and is altogether too frequently applied to our giving today. However, when the budget is tight, and the ends aren't meeting, consider giving up your Starbucks before you give up your giving. Even if all you can afford is the quarter you found in the parking lot on the way into church, don't deprive yourself of the act of worship, of stepping out in faith. God is not an investment banker. He won't give you interest on your deposits. He doesn't promise that for every dollar you put in the plate you'll get 10 back. He does promise that He loves us and will provide for our needs.
This has been a hard post to write. I haven't had the best understanding of giving. I don't have a hidden agenda. I'm not trying to drum up support for my local church or my favorite mission board. When I set out to write this post, these thoughts were not fully formed. I had been convicted by what I read in Philippians, and have continued to be convicted as I penned these words. I'll be the first to acknowledge that I will likely not live up to the ideal expressed above, however I have learned, and I hope to continue to learn.
One last side note. Share what you are studying. Often, it is not in the reading, but in the re-telling that God works in our lives. Find an accountability partner to check in with every day. Tell them not only if you did your devotions, but what they were about. You'll find that at times you learn more with the re-telling than you did with the reading.
