Have you noticed that when many people give to the church they are trying to look good to others? Trying to look good to the people who sit around them at church. Let me try to explain what I mean.
I go to a church where at some point in the service an offering plate is passed around. I've been to other churches where it's a basket but the idea is the same. I've noticed that a lot of people I sit around put something in the basket every week. This looks like a good thing, right.
But, most of these people don't get paid every week. If the idea of giving is to give 10% of what you get and the giving to be the 'first fruits' would that really reflect in giving on weeks you weren't paid? If you give an offering at a church service when you haven't been paid since the last time you gave at a service how can that be giving the first fruits? Did you not give it all as first fruits in the previous service?
Is this a case of trying to look good to others? So, that the people think they look good to those sitting around them in the pews by not letting an offering plate go by without putting anything in it? I think so.
You might be asking yourself why this matters. I know I did. I think it has to do with motive. The bible says that our reason for doing things matters. And, it speaks out against giving as show for others. If we are giving every week a question to ask ourselves is why we are holding back from giving all of our giving at the first opportunity we get? Is if for God? Or, is it for you?
If it's for God I'd love to hear a justification. Because I just can't think of one on my own.
Ritual of Giving
I'm Unitarian Universalist, and we pass a plate every Sunday morning in my congregation as well. It's a ritual that causes me to consider for a few moments in each service whether and how I am practicing financial generosity. It's a reminder that such generosity isn't just for once a year or once a month, but rather is an integral part of living a compassionate life and being part of a community.
Giving in secret
Hey Matt,
Interesting topic to think about. May I throw in an additional thought?
It's hard to really know the motives of those around us, or even the reality of their giving. Could it be that some people DO give their first fruits tithe when the monthly paycheck arrives, and that they are giving over and above that on a weekly basis? Perhaps this is where some of our giving to missions and other special causes comes in?
Don't I Wish
That would be a great thing. For people to give above and beyond. Sadly that just isn't reality for most.
Some numbers....
3% - In America it's somewhere around this percent of income that people give all together to charities and the church. This fluctuates based on political views, religion, etc. Surprisingly conservative Christian republicans give the most away to charities and the church. At least that was a surprise to me.
1.2% - A number of years ago they did a study of my church to see what the giving was. A number I saw was somewhere around this. I'm not sure what it actually is today but I'd be surprised if it was as high as 3%. Especially since I live in Michigan and so many people are without jobs or aren't making enough to support the lifestyles they grew into.
So, it would be great if people were giving above and beyond. And, some of them actually are (I thank God for them and I know a few who do). But, that's not the case for the average person there.
I've actually had a chance to talk to several people about giving over the last year who are members at the church. This is in side friendly conversations over a beer and hanging out. Many of them try to justify not giving. They have said that it isn't necessary or that they can't afford their lifestyle if they did.
This is a really tough subject for most. Money is the thing they don't want God to touch.
Payday Automated Debit
I think my Church is fairly progressive, they have a modern website, and it allows churchgoers to open an online account and give through automatic withdrawals from their checking account. I have my account setup to withdraw from my checking account on each payday, every two weeks. This works very well for me as it happens automatically much like many of the other things I need to pay in life such as my mortgage and car payment, and ensures "first fruit". Also of note, my Church does not pass a plate or basket, they have boxes located at each doorway and in the halls with envelopes, tithing is left up to the individual and is more discreet.
Re: When do you give to the church?
Wow, Matt. I totally get the whole looking good in front of others thing. That used to inspire me to chip in a few bucks, usually no less than a five, every time the plate was passed, as long as I had cash in my pockets.
For me, that all changed when two things happened.
The first was that I started tithing my income to the local church. And when I first started attending where I do now, they didn't pass the plate, but had a drop box outside the sanctuary door instead. That has changed, although the drop box is also available. When we take up "extra" offerings my giving varies each time.
The second thing was when I visited a church that basically said they didn't want visitors to contribute. Now there are many churches that make it very clear that visitors are under no obligation to help and contribute - that their services are a gift to the community. We even do that at our big outreach events. Since that time, my giving when visiting also varies from time to time.
But before I was committed to tithing, I found myself trying to look good in front of others, even though I knew then how I already looked before God.
How to get others to do the same?
A question that sits on my mind is how do you get others to tithe?
It might be a fascinating
It might be a fascinating case study to find out how giving would be affected if the plate was removed in a specific few churches and replaced with a PayPal button the church website and perhaps a box with a slot by the main entrance.
What you're saying would suggest a drop in giving would occur. If we then listed the names of each giver on the website as soon as they gave and every time they gave, would this then increase the gift again or even higher?
It sure would say a lot about the giving, but I'm not sure if it would talk to convenience or motivation.
Gift of Time
Not only are we to give the first fruits of our money, we are to give of our time. The Bible does not say a tenth of our time or any other specific portion that I am aware of. It does make it vividly clear in Matthew 28:18-20 (The Great Commission) that we are "to go". This is an action, something we "DO". All Christians are called to action to make Him known and I know of no action that does not require, at the very least, your time.