Lately, I've been feeling prompted to blog about tithing 10% even though an individual may have a lot of credit card debt, auto loan, school loan, and home loan. I am a firm believer (contrary to Suze Orman) that a person should continue to give 10% to the church even though you may have a lot of debt. A lot can be determined by the character of a person while they are in debt to determine how they will act once they get out of debt. I know a lot of people may disagree with me on this, but I can account for myself how continuing to tithe while in debt has had great rewards for my wife and I. The Lord has blessed us many times over for our faithfulness in giving in the hard times and now we are trusted with a lot more. Now we are again tested in the good times if we will be faithful with what we have and continue to give. Since getting married I've really experience the joy of giving sacrificially and it definitely has been a learned trait that I got from my wife. Thanks honey!
I just wanted to get other people's take on tithing regardless of large amounts of debt and hear about any success stories or failures. All comments are welcome.
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Tithing 10% - even with tons of debt
May 12th, 2008 at 02:19 pm
May 12th, 2008 at 02:33 pm
May 12th, 2008 at 02:47 pm
Our church encourages donating 5% for church support, and 5% for other charitable organizations. we have sponsored a child in Ethiopia and it has been a great experience for our kids to see how helping others can make a difference.
May 12th, 2008 at 03:55 pm
May 12th, 2008 at 04:08 pm
May 12th, 2008 at 04:28 pm
I think charity begins at home. My first responsibility is to myself and my family. Only when we are financially stable would I consider supporting charitable causes. So if I had significant debt, I would not donate to my religious organization or other charities in a substantial amount.
Again, I'm saying this from a financial point of view, not a religious one, and just stating my own personal opinion of how we handle our own finances.
May 12th, 2008 at 05:01 pm
May 12th, 2008 at 06:05 pm
I tithe throughout my financial stages. I do not go back into silly debts after paying them off as it is a guilt trip on myself when I have to face God. I have no excuse as I was already advised.(bible had tons of financial advices)
For me, it is God's money in the first place and he only wanted a tenth back. It is not charity to me but a way of worship and giving God the control of my life including my finances by responding to his command (I am human so I do the best I can humanly do with my good and bad days).
It is when I am being a bad girl and get myself into debts; I have to pay the consequences of it.
But that is just my take on it. You may want to call it religious thing but I just want to do what God says and not what people say and follow with my heart and soul and not a routine that is set –up outside of biblical readings.
May 12th, 2008 at 06:38 pm
The other thing about tithing while in debt that bothers me (this isn't directed at you gruntiina, just a general comment) is that if someone is giving their money away instead of paying off their debt more quickly, that doesn't seem like proper behavior toward the lender. If you borrow money from someone, whether it is a family member, a credit card company or the government, don't you have a moral responsibility to pay them back promptly? I'd be kind of annoyed if I lent money to someone and they were dragging their feet telling me they didn't have the money to repay me while at the same time they were giving hundreds or thousands to charity.
May 12th, 2008 at 09:49 pm
For me God is first so I meet His obligations (such as tithing) first and do not enter another obligation until I fulfilled my first obligation.
Owing someone money whether it is a friend, family, credit cards, and any types of bills always has some form of agreements. There is nothing wrong with paying the minimum monthly payments when there is an agreement. It is however irresponsible to make an agreement on something you can not afford in the first place. In the unfortunate situation example you provided such as high medical bills, if one can not pay, then one can not pay. Not to mean to neglect it but eventully have to come up with a plan or get help. But to say you can make a minimum payment of something in a form of an agreement and do not pay that, that is irresponsible as that is a choice. When a friend does not pay back the money that was borrowed… then that friend is being irresponsible.
In my case, I worship God not pay for God.
May 13th, 2008 at 06:18 am
We returned the tithe while we were in debt, but never at the expense of not making a payment. They were all doable at the same time. We always pay our bills as agreed. As w/Gruntina, we believe God's part comes first, then we pay ourselves our part into savings, then we pay any we owe, then we live on, blow or give what's left!
May 13th, 2008 at 06:24 am
I too agree with Gruntina and Luxlivingfrugalis that its all God's in the first place and He gets the first 10%.
May 13th, 2008 at 08:42 am
Right Dickyman, we aren't giving, we are RETURNING.
May 15th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
I'm not going to get into the whole whether or not you have to give a certain percentage thing because it's really a personal choice as far as I'm concerned.
The way I see it, the first fruits belong to God. So when I make my budget, my first line item is always what I am giving to God. It has not been any specific percentage for a long time and I make the rest of the budget based on what is left.
To me it's more the idea of habit, like still saving when you are in debt just the habit of putting $5 away every month gets you in the habit so when you have more you can easily save more because you're already doing it.