Give First

“Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce.” Proverbs 3:9

I wonder if anyone has done any research into why no matter how much money you have in your wallet at the beginning of the week, there’s never any left by the end? I’m sure it must either leak out or dissolve or something! “If I just had a little more, that would make the difference!” Of course, we know that our human tendency is to spend what we have, no matter how much it is. It is critical for us to develop discipline when it comes to finances.

Instructing the Israelites, God commanded them to give the very first sheaf of grain they harvested as an offering to Him (Leviticus 23:10). Now at first glance, we would presume God commanded this so that He would be sure to get their offering before they had consumed it all! Yet when we look closer, we see a far more important reason to honor God by giving first. You see, we tend to believe that we have what we have because we work hard for it. (Certainly, hard work honors God–Colossians 3:23). And, even more importantly, that if we give some of it away, we may not have enough.

When we give first, we are obedient to God, but we are also demonstrating that we trust Him. We are saying, “I know this is what God asks of me, and I know that He loves me, wants the best for me and will supply my needs. Therefore, I will give first, trusting that whatever’s left will be enough.” Friends, know this–God is faithful (Philippians 4:19) and no one who has given first has ever been left wanting.

-Pastor Mike