"Tithe" means "ten percent". As Mormons, we give 10% of our income to our Church. Dave and I pay on our gross income, but i don't think there's a rule about whether it's gross or net, just what you feel right about. Each paycheck, we fill out a tithing slip like this and give it to the Bishop (leader of our congregation). The Church keeps records so it's tax deductible as a charitable contribution. It's a great equalizer in the church, because while we don't all make the same amount of money, we all give 10% of whatever we do have.
I have been lucky that tithing has never been hard for me to pay. Even as a kid, if I earned a dollar washing windows, I paid ten cents that Sunday in tithing. A friend once told me he liked to pay tithing because it was one commandment he could be perfect in. I agree. It's nice to know that in one way, I am as obedient as I can be. When I get money, I pay ten percent of it to my Church. In order to be worthy to go into LDS temples, you have to be a full tithe payer, meaning you have to always give 10% of everything you make to the church. God has promised that He will open the windows of heaven to those who pay tithing. Some people think that he is supposed to shower you with money if you pay tithing--in fact, that's what I thought for most of my life. But we're not rich, and we always pay our tithing, so I've had to re-assess what "the windows of heaven" means. To me, it means that we are generally healthy, generally happy, and always blessed. It means that we will not want for the necessities of life: food, shelter, clothing. There have been times that I wasn't sure how to pay the bills when money shows up: for example a year ago Dave had to get his car fixed. the bill was $480. we did not have $480. the next day a $500 check came in the mail from our insurance company, reimbursement of our deductible from a crash that wasn't my fault that had happened a full year before--but we had to pay until the insurance companies worked it out. If that check had come a week earlier, we would have bought new blinds for the house, and done lots of other things we had been wanting to do. But I believe that because we pay our tithing, we were blessed with money unexpectedly at the exact right time to help. I don't think "the windows of heaven" means we will always have money sent to us when we need it. Just that when we pay our tithing, the windows of heaven do open, and we are given the things that we need when we need them.
The basis for tithing comes from the Bible. We know that Melchizidek was the high priest in the Old Testament that received tithing from Abraham. In the Book of Mormon (Alma 13: 15) it says "yea, even our father Abraham paid tithes of one-tenth part of all he possessed." We know Ananias and Sapphira were struck dead for lying and not paying their full tithe in the New Testament (Acts 5: 1-5). In Malachi 3: 8-11 it says,
8 ¶ aWill a man brob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In ctithes and offerings.9 Ye are acursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.
9 comments:
Amen sister!
I think an important connection for me has been to examine the footnote to the word BLESSING. It referrs to the "Blessings of Israel" which are not monetary at all.
See this explanation of what the "Blessings of Isreal" are.
http://scriptures.lds.org/en/tg/i/80
Sounds like something we could all use.
Money is such a complex idea within the realms of the Gospel. I worry about it a lot, and we need it to survivie in this world, but truly...it IS temporary and the Blessings of Israel are infinate and eternal.
Just after we got married we moved into our house and money was tight! We discussed our budget and decided that tithing would be the first thing we paid and then had the faith that things would work out. Things still work out somehow even while JohnPaul was off work for two years. I firmly believe in giving back to the Lord the part that he has asked for.
We talked about this is Sunday School today! :)
amen
I LOVE tithing. When I was barely pregnant with the boys, we thought we were going to have to move out of New Mexico. I already knew that I was having twins and thinking of moving somewhere where I didn't know anybody and didn't have any family near was daunting and frightening. I only had one teaching interview set up here in Albuquerque, but somehow I KNEW it was going to be okay because I paid my tithing. And lo and behold, I got the job and we were able to stay here in Albuquerque. Thank goodness. Then, when the boys were 14 months old, I had to go back to work a couple of nights a week to help make ends meet. I was heartbroken at the thought of having to work again and not be with my family. The only good thing about it was I would be able to pay tithing again; Aaron wouldn't let my pay tithing on his income. It has been such a blessing to keep this commandment! Sometimes it's hard, but I always do it. I don't pay it every month, but I always pay a full tithe on what I make.
no offense, but this tithing-talk is absolutely ridiculous. the new testament calls us to give freely, with joy. tithing is an old covenant practice- very legalistic. perhaps you should stop listening to your bishop and crack open the bible.
Thanks for your comment, Melanie! We actually get this counsel to pay tithing from our prophet, not the Bishop. You can read more about prophets on my sidebar if you want, but we believe in prophets the same way we believe Moses and Abraham were prophets, and he leads our church. And this practice is definitely done freely. Nobody forces us to pay, it is all done of our own will. Frankly, I WANT to pay tithing. I get so much in return that it's just a small thing I can give back--and it does give me joy. I quoted lots of biblical passages (even one from the New Testament, which means it's not all old Law of Moses law, but the fulfilled, Christian law). I would love to answer any questions you have, feel free to email me!
very beautifully written. I think regardless of your religion if you believe in God and have a strong relationship with Him things will always work out one way or another.
But I think that this process for you, your religion, and your family it works out, which by what you have written is such a blessing.
How do you pronounce it?
ok, i see where you're coming from. and i'm sorry- my comment up there was kinda harsh!! god bless.
April, it's pronounced "tie-theeng". I guess. That's how we say it.
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