Tithe to Support the Community

God Blesses and Recreates

Jacob Forms a Relationship with God

Deuteronomy 14:22-29 The Message

22-26 Make an offering of ten percent, a tithe, of all the produce which grows in your fields year after year. Bring this into the Presence of God, your God, at the place he designates for worship and there eat the tithe from your grain, wine, and oil and the firstborn from your herds and flocks. In this way, you will learn to live in deep reverence before God, your God, as long as you live. But if the place God, your God, designates for worship is too far away and you can’t carry your tithe that far, God, your God, will still bless you: exchange your tithe for money and take the money to the place God, your God, has chosen to be worshiped. Use the money to buy anything you want: cattle, sheep, wine, or beer—anything that looks good to you. You and your family can then feast in the Presence of God, your God, and have a good time.
27 Meanwhile, don’t forget to take good care of the Levites who live in your towns; they won’t get any property or inheritance of their own as you will.
28-29 At the end of every third year, gather the tithe from all your produce of that year and put it aside in storage. Keep it in reserve for the Levite who won’t get any property or inheritance as you will, and for the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow who live in your neighborhood. That way they’ll have plenty to eat and God, your God, will bless you in all your work.

For Reflection

"Follow the money!" If you want to know what is essential to people, look for how they spend their money. One can have many high priority interests. But by giving to God first, sacrificing ten percent of money time and talent one not only deepens his or her commitment to God but also how invested one is in his or her faith.

God has provided plenty. We are the stewards of God's creation. It is our task to see that God's plenteous resources are equitably distributed so that few suffer and all prosper.

Pray

Pray so that your relationship to God grows stronger each day. Pray so that you will share God's gifts.

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