A Tip or a Tribute
Submitted by Ron on Tue, 09/02/2010 - 3:33pm
How much a gift means to a giver will depend largely upon the degree of sacrifice it represents. That is, the size of a gift that is properly related to the giver’s financial capacity is one very sure measure of how much impact his giving is having upon him.
Ten Dollars of a pensioner’s income might conceivably be what another casually tips a waiter! Clearly, generosity, and impact, in no way point toward equal gifts but rather EQUAL SACRIFICE. A commitment of $10 from one person may have the same impact as $100 from another.
The Old Testament is adamant that God should receive the first tenth; and this precept was followed in many parts of the Church for centuries. Even today, it could cause surprise to learn, that spread through all denominations, many Christians continue that tradition. In no sense is ‘tithing’ a requirement upon anyone, but the knowledge that it still occurs quite widely makes us more aware of the strength of commitment of many Christians to their churches today.