Wealth can change the Percentage

Luke 21:1-4

“Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”  (Luke 21:1-4 ESV)

The recent Gallup polling shows that 43 percent of Americans attended church on somewhat of a regular weekly basis in 2013.  Out of a population of 315 million that is roughly 135 million souls.  And a poll called the state of the Plate estimates 10 million of these people tithed 10 percent.

My dear friend Carroll Ray Jr. loved to tell the story about a Jewish young man who ask Christ into his life and was mentored by my Friend, and after months of being mentored, he shared that he was understanding most of the customs and traditions of the Baptist Church, but there is one I still do not understand, it is the touching of the plate each service, why do we do that?  Many a new member might ask such a question, for often when the offering plate is passed one might wonder why is this being done.

A study was done on tithing and how wealth can change the percentage of the gift, and you may be like so many who say if I made more I would give a tenth or more of my income.  But the study shows just the opposite as the income goes up the giving percentages go down.  Many a person who had no problem giving 10 percent of $50,000 found it impossible to give 10 percent of 500,000.  They still give and gave a lot but the percentage goes way down.

Now I’m assuming the offering box was out in the open and a religious person wants others to see how substantial their gift is, where the poor widow is only interested that she is thankful to God for that days blessing and is trusting Him to provide for tomorrow. 

I have never given out of my poverty, in that I’ve been blessed with many blessings in health and income, and yet I’ve been faithful in what God has entrusted me when it comes to income.  But my prayer is that I’ve given with the right heart attitude, it is not mine it is a trust that I’ve been allowed to manage.  It is my personal belief and I believe it is Biblical, that as a manager the Holy Spirit will guide me in my giving, and it will often exceed the tithe, I also believe the tithe is to be given to where you worship, that is unless that is your boat, golf course or local shopping mall.

Let me close with this report: (This report, currently the most comprehensive research available on trends in tithing among churchgoers, tends to support Market Watch's take. For example, statistics cited in "State of the Plate" confirm that churchgoers who tithe do have their finances in better order than those who do not tithe. For example, they are:

• 40 percent less likely (15 percent versus 25 percent) than the average churchgoer to owe significant debt (more than $50,000).
• Only half as likely (20 percent vs. 40 percent) to be overdue on their credit cards.
• Twice as likely to be entirely debt-free (28 percent versus 13 percent).

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice