WHAT IF
What if the LORD took the offering that you gave to His work last Lord’s Day, and multiplied it by 10 and made that your income for the next week? How much would you make? If you gave one dollar, the Lord would only give you $10.00 for a full week’s work. If you gave $5.00 your salary would be $50.00. How many of us would be satisfied with that?
Now let’s break these figures down to Rupees. What if you gave Rs. 5 on the collection plate last Sunday? Then the LORD would be fair to give you Rs. 50 for a full week’s work. What if you gave Rs. 10 on the collection plate? The Lord would be fair to give you Rs. 100 for a salary this week. The same with Rs. 50 and Rs. 500. Nobody can feed and clothe a growing family on that amount.
How many of us could live as we live if we got from the Lord as we give to Him when we make our offering on the Lord’s Day? Yes, a week of such poor prosperity would quickly convince us that our own poor giving to the Lord must change—-and change quickly.
Several years ago, I spoke with a young woman who worked outside the home. That meant she and her husband had two salaries coming in because he also had a job as an accountant. They had a nice car and nice clothing for themselves and their two children. One day we happened to be talking about giving on the Lord’s Day and she said, “We don’t give because we can’t afford to.”
What? The Lord has blessed you with two jobs, two beautiful children, a house and a car and you cannot afford to give as you have been prospered (1 Cor. 16:2)?
Under the Old Testament Law, Jews were required to give 10% of everything back to the Lord. Additionally, they gave sacrifices for sin, burnt offerings, special offerings at feasts, and offerings of their first fruits after a harvest. Someone has estimated that Jews gave approximately 25% of everything they earned.
The New Testament tells us, “For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:20).
As the Apostle Paul would say, “Brethren, think on these things” (Php. 4:8).
-Beth Johnson