Eight dollars.

That’s all my father had in his pocket when he came to America.

After months of writing hand-written letters to each other, he met his beautiful bride at the airport when she arrived.

A few weeks later, they were married in a chapel with friends as witnesses.  Their parents and siblings were thousands of miles away.

Together, they started a new adventure as a family in a new country.

Money was tight and they lived simple lives.  Then, expenses started to build up:  four children, a mortgage, a car.

Despite the bills, one thing stayed constant: my father insisted on tithing.

It was a principle he grew up learning and one that he has passed on to his children.

The literal Hebrew meaning of tithe is “tenth”.

The Biblical principle of tithing comes from this verse: “‘A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord.”  Leviticus 27:30

The first example of this is when Abraham gave a tithe to the King of Salem in Genesis 14:20.

In modern times, it is setting aside a tenth of your earnings and giving it to the church where you are being fed.

As we grew up, we watched our parents not only tithe to the church, but we watched them go beyond that.

They helped to financially support the distribution of Bibles to multiple countries, build wells for poor countries with no water, and financially help other families who wanted their daughters to be married.

Over 40 years later, their generosity has expanded even more- and so have the blessings.

Dad has many mottos. “Learn, Earn, Return” is his financial one. His $8 has multiplied.  He learned, he earned, and he has returned over and over and over.

Mom lives by these verses: “If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord and he will repay you!” Proverbs 19:17  and 

“And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.” Hebrews 13:16

I love imaging the idea of lending to the Lord as I lend to others.

Through their generosity, the Kingdom of God is expanding.

They have also been generous in their time, serving as missionaries. I could write a whole other post about that.

I’m grateful for their example and it has encouraged me to follow it. Paul says in that one’s generosity can stir others to action. (2 Corinthians 9:2)

When I received my first paycheck in my early 20’s, I gave 100% of it to God.  I recognized that it all belonged to Him in the first place.

With a family of my own now, there are times when we reach a rough spot financially. But we have never, ever faced lack because we tithed. We have only seen unexpected blessings.  It’s a Biblical principle!

“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increased your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness”.  2 Corinthians 9:10

God is my SEED SUPPLIER. He gives me the seed. I plant. I harvest.  He allows me to be generous with that harvest.

Test God in this:  if you haven’t started tithing, try it.  You will be amazed at the blessings that will come your way.

Why? Because you’re placing your trust not in your paycheck, but in a generous God who supplies your seed.

It has worked for my parents and me. And it WILL work for you!

~Elizabeth/Betsy