Tithing …. Brocolli?

Have you ever thought about tithing more than just your monetary income?

When I was young, my family planted a HUGE garden, and our parents taught us to tithe the first fruits. So when the vegetables came in—green beans, corn, tomatoes, turnip greens—the first ten percent was given to someone who had no garden or money to buy food. It was something we enjoyed doing because sharing always brings a smile … not only to the person we shared with, but to our faces as well. That pleasing emotion I felt when sharing my garden’s first fruits was contagious, so I tried to think of other ways to tithe.

We tithe our income, sometimes our time—working in a soup kitchen or food bank, and maybe we share that bunch of oranges we receive as a gift, but what about our talents? God gave them to us after all. Think about this: Of the 1440 minutes you live each and every day, how many of those did you create yourself? Not one! And the talents you might have—the ability to play a musical instrument, a beautiful singing voice, a gift for drawing or painting, etc.—did you bless yourself with those gifts? No way! If God gave us these things, then why shouldn’t we share them with Him by using them to make others happy? I guarantee, if you do, it will bring happiness like no other joy into your life.

“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” Luke 6:38

“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.” Proverbs 3:9-10

“ …remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35