Pray for your tithes

There seems to be general agreement that a good number to start tithing at is ten percent of your gross income.  Like any fixed arbitrary number, however, ten percent means different things to different people.  The general principle I like to follow when it comes to tithing is that you give until it hurts.  This is the effective embodiment of self-sacrifice, one of the tenets of Christian love (John 15:13 and Romans 12:1).

It must not be forgotten, however, that act of tithing can be corrupted if the motive behind the tithing is impure, or if the use of the tithes is not honorable to God.  After all, how many times have we heard of faith healers and ministers seeking love offerings, only to spend lavishly on themselves?

The important thing to keep in mind is that we must always ask for the Lord's blessing upon the contributions we give, to our churches, charities, loved ones, etc.  Before every tithe, we should ask Him to allow our offerings to be used in a manner that is glorifying to Him and His Kingdom.  Then can we feel at peace when dropping our checks in the offering bins.