If you were raised in the church, you probably encountered the ongoing debate over tithes and offerings. Tithe means, “tenth.” You may ask yourself, “Do I tithe off the gross or the net? Do I have to give to a church, or can I give to another non-profit? Is it acceptable to spend my treasure on myself, or is that sin?”

In our stone-heartedness, we become diligent about nailing down the specifics of exactly how generous we must be to stay in line with the rules. In our attempt to follow the rules, we remove the heart of God.

Jesus offered the following admonishment to stone hearts: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices — mint, dill, and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law — justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former” (Matthew 23:23).

A greedy heart follows the letter of the law and misses the spirit of the law. A generous heart follows the spirit of the law and receives the heart of the Restorer.

This week, follow the spirit of the law with your treasure and discover Christ’s teaching. Ask God where and how He is leading you to give. Then cheerfully and sacrificially share your kingdom investment, flowing from your intimacy with Him (2 Corinthians 9:7).

Episode 94: 30 Sayings of the Wise: Finances from mitchkrusetv on Vimeo.

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