SOAP Notes

A continuation of the SOAP Notes series...

October 16, 2007
Malachi 3, 4; Psalm 148; Acts 5.

S: Malachi 3: 8-10
"Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.

and

Acts 5:1-6
Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet. Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God." When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6Then the young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.

O: Both of these verses initially are about tithing. The first is an apparent damnation from God against those who do not tithe, who “rob me” The second is an apparent threat; Ananias held back from God, and he was killed. Upon further review, though, the verses may be generally about tithing, and also about obedience, but the real point of the verses its to talk about faithfulness. Faithfulness in the sense that we do what we ought, and faithfulness in the sense that we be full of faith. So, the verses really are about being faithful, in a true way, and about what being faithful will yield.

A: “Will a man rob God?” I do. Constantly. I am not faithful to God in so many ways. In my time, in my money, in my words, in my deeds, and in my thoughts. The concept of the tithe is simple. We yield to God a portion of what He’s given us, not because we have to do it, but out of recognition for what we’ve been given by Him. God has given me everything I have. My family, my friends, my home, my job, my health, my humor, my smarts (to the extent I have any). And in recognition for what I’ve been given, what do I offer back? Do I offer Him a portion? Do I offer Him anything?

I am like Ananias. He knows his duty, and he acts as if he’s fulfilling it. He does what he does for a variety of reasons. To look good to men while also taking care of his own desires. To put up a front to God. I know Ananias’ thoughts. “Some is better than none. God should be happy for what I give Him.” It’s the thought I have after going to a church service, as I justify how I spend the rest of my week. It’s the thought I have after giving $5 to the poor, while I take the rest of my paycheck home and plan my next beer run.

It’s a thought that bleeds over into so much of my life. My friends should appreciate what attention I give them, because if I gave them none they’d suffer. My wife should appreciate me cooking once or twice a week, because I don’t have to and I know she’d cook if I didn’t. My work should appreciate me staying in through the lunch hour, because even though I spend much of my day lolli-gagging, I’m under no obligation to give them that particular hour of my day.

The tithe is absolutely about recognizing, loving, and obeying God. But in so many ways the tithe is about addressing our simple human weakness, our selfishness.

What would change if I tithed to God? If I invest, trusting in him, what I give will be returned to me greatly. And, I am confident, that would bleed over. I’d invest time into friends and family and be amazed at how our relationships bloomed and grew. I’d invest effort into my work and be amazed at how putting time in made the job easier to do, and more rewarding. I’d give money to the poor and not only see people delivered from horrible lives, but see people instead of parasites.

The tithe is about turning us outward, about teaching us the simple rule that proper attention leads to amazing rewards. God, in these verses, wants us to tithe and to honor Him. But, I believe, these verses are just as much a call to stop worrying about what we’re getting out of life, and instead to start giving to it.

P: God, thank You so much for what You give me. You have provided so much, and I’ve thanked You by hording my riches. While complaining that I should have more, I refuse to invest my money, my time, my happiness, my strength, and my love into the people and the world around me, and even less to I invest in You. Forgive me, and help me to act on this realization of my wrongs. Thank You that, even as I fail You, You still will reach out to me when I reach back to You. Thank You that You never tire of investing in me. Amen.