From the archives of Evelyn Roberts
When I grew up, I heard Malachi 3:8–9 preached, which says that if we don’t give our tithe to God, we’re a thief and a robber. I didn’t want to be a thief and a robber, so I felt obligated to give a tenth of every dollar I had to God. But it was no joy to do.
Then I read Malachi 3:10, where God says, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse…and prove me…if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” In other words, if I give to God, He will open heaven’s windows and pour me out a blessing so great I can’t contain it. I learned that giving is just half of it. We can also receive, and there is joy in receiving.
At times, it’s hard to give ― to plant a seed of faith. Jesus found it hard when He started to plant His seed by dying on the Cross for us. But Hebrews 12:2 says He endured the shame for the joy that was set before Him ― that was the Resurrection through which millions would be saved. When we plant our seed, and especially when we do it sacrificially like Jesus did, we can expect to receive back an abundant harvest, “pressed down, and shaken together, and running over” (Luke 6:38). The harvest is always better that the seed we plant. And that makes giving it a joy!
