"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." (Malachi 3:10)

Watch what people do with their money, and it will tell you what they really love in life. For, as Jesus said, "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:21). Sadly, even some Christians miss this truth, often finding it hard to let their faith touch their pockets. But God wants us to learn the excitement of "risky giving" and the blessing that flows from it.

Perhaps the most risky expression of giving is "tithing" – giving one tenth of our income to God. This is indeed risky, for we are giving away a tenth of our money and therefore have less to live on. But this is where God’s impossible mathematics comes in; for with God, nine-tenths goes further than ten-tenths!

Some Christians dismiss tithing on the grounds that it simply belonged to the Jewish Law; but tithing was practiced long before the Law existed, arising instinctively in the hearts of people like Abraham and Jacob long before God commanded it. Even Jesus didn’t challenge the practice of tithing, simply the twisted way that some people did it. Sadly, objections to tithing come, not because people want to give more, but because they want to give less. The widow’s mite is often quoted as a basis for giving little – missing completely the point that Jesus made, that it was "all she had to live on" (Luke 21:4). Even in the Old Testament, tithing was just the beginning, there being many other opportunities for freewill offerings as well. God wants His people to be as generous-hearted as He Himself is. So, by all means do not tithe – as long as your giving exceeds it!

What has your attitude been to tithing and giving? One of keeping (and so missing God’s promised blessing) or of releasing (and so finding the promised blessing)? Today could be a day for trying it out and seeing that it really does work!

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. (2 Corinthians 9:6)

Copyright © 2017 Martin Manser and Mike Beaumont