Giving
One of the strangest realities of faith in God
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One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.
Proverbs 11:24 (ESV)
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Perhaps the strangest reality of how God created the universe is the “bad money math” of tithes & offerings.
Here’s what I mean:
God will take 90% further than I can go with 100%.
It makes no sense.
Then again, feeding five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish makes no sense either. It’s bad math. And yet that’s no hindrance on God in any way, whatsoever.
But here’s what this bad math does for me:
Tests my faith.
Every time I pay out my 10% of the gross tithe to God — preferably right after I receive my paycheck — I’m always a little hesitant.
There’s a lot I think I could do with that money.
And then I remind myself of God’s goodness, His blessings in my life, and I say a little prayer of thanksgiving and request for more faith.
And then I pay my tithe.
You know what?
I’ve never regretted paying God my tithe … not once.
Also, I’ve noticed that in the seasons of life whenever I’ve neglected to pay God my tithes, little financial troubles tend to creep up here & there. But they seem to (mostly) disappear whenever I give freely.
In other words, I often find myself growing all the richer after giving money to God.
Like I said, it’s a strange reality.
— Ricky Ketchum
Copyright © 2025 by Ricky Ketchum. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication prohibited.
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