How can we ensure our giving aligns with God's commands in Deuteronomy 26:12? Understanding the Original Command • “When you have finished tithing all the produce of your increase in the third year, the year of the tithe, then you are to give it to the Levite, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow, so that they may eat within your gates and be filled.” (Deuteronomy 26:12) • The tithe was literal produce and income. • The recipients were those without land or steady provision: Levites (ministry workers), foreigners, orphans, widows. • The goal was satisfaction—“be filled”—not bare-minimum relief. Key Principles to Carry Forward • Giving is periodic and intentional, not haphazard. • It is proportionate (“all the produce of your increase”). • It is directed to clearly identified groups in genuine need. • It aims at meeting real, tangible needs until those needs are fully supplied. Heart Attitudes God Expects • Obedience over impulse (1 Samuel 15:22). • Cheerfulness, never reluctance (2 Corinthians 9:7). • Trust in God’s provision (Malachi 3:10). • Compassion that mirrors God’s own care for the vulnerable (Psalm 68:5). Practical Steps to Align Our Giving Today 1. Calculate increase: – List all forms of income. – Decide the percentage you will devote first, before other spending. 2. Identify modern equivalents of the four groups: – Levites: faithful pastors, missionaries, Bible teachers. – Foreigners: refugees, immigrants, international students. – Fatherless: foster children, kids in single-parent homes, local orphan ministries. – Widows: elderly on fixed incomes, single moms, spouses of deceased ministers. 3. Verify accountability: – Support ministries that preach and practice biblical truth. – Check budgets, statements, and fruit (Matthew 7:17). 4. Give until “filled”: – Budget for recurring support, not one-time gestures. – Increase aid when needs rise (James 2:15-16). 5. Integrate giving into worship: – Present it in gathered worship or consciously before the Lord at home (Proverbs 3:9). 6. Review annually (or every third year as Israel did): – Assess effectiveness. – Reallocate to ensure each group receives something substantive. Promises Attached to Obedience • “Test Me in this… I will open the windows of heaven and pour out for you blessing until there is no more need.” (Malachi 3:10) • “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and He will repay him for his deed.” (Proverbs 19:17) • God guarantees sufficiency and an overflow for further good works (2 Corinthians 9:8). Common Hindrances and How to Overcome Them • Fear of not having enough → Meditate on Philippians 4:19. • Cynicism about misuse → Research, ask for reports, give where transparency is strong. • Sporadic income → Tithe as each payment arrives (1 Corinthians 16:2). • Forgetfulness → Automate transfers or set calendar reminders. Living the Command Today When our giving is systematic, proportionate, directed toward the truly needy, and carried out with a joyful, trusting heart, we stand in the stream of Deuteronomy 26:12. The same God who blessed Israel delights to bless obedient, compassionate givers now. |
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