We are faced with the reality of what the Word of God has to say about paying tithes and giving offerings, and whether we like it or not, or believe it or not, or do it or not the word never changes. Trust me when I say that God does not need our money in order to be God, and we can never buy his favor. He wants us to get in on the key to the door of how his Kingdom works—in heaven and on earth; for you, me, and everyone else.

God promises to always remember our response to his commands here. We read in Sirach 35.6-11: ‘When someone righteous offers a sacrifice a pleasant smell rises to the Most High. The Lord will accept the offerings made by a righteous person and will not forget them.’ God is pleased, he accepts, and he remembers us.

There is another thing about this that brightens God’s face; giving with a smile. The Word continues: ‘Praise the Lord by making generous offerings to him; don’t be stingy with the first of your crops. Be cheerful with every gift you make, and when you pay your tithes, do it gladly.’ God will never play the role of a collection agent! He will not sue you for an unpaid debt! He simply cannot bless you when you don’t give.

What are we to do? The Word of the Lord is clear: ‘Give to the Most High as he has given to you, just as generously as you can. The Lord always repays and will do it many times over.’ We have little concept of generosity until we come face-to-face with the model God sets for us. He gave his ALL for us that we might enter into his style of giving and receiving. God knows how to bless his generous ones! He can’t help it!