Money doesn’t usually feel like a “spiritual” topic to us. Yet Jesus had a lot to say about money. In the four Gospels, one out of ten verses (288 in all) deal directly with the subject of money. Nearly half of Jesus’ parables — 16 out of 38 — address issues of handling money and possessions. Jesus understood that generosity was a spiritual issue, not just an economic one.

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“Just as you excel in everything else... in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness...
see that you also excel in the grace of giving.”

2 Corinthians 8:7, New International Version

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Financially, we practice the biblical principle of tithing – giving 10 percent of our income to support church ministries of worship, spiritual growth, missions, and care for the poor. Far from a duty, our giving expresses our gratitude for God’s generosity toward us. “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son...” (John 3:16, Today’s English Version).

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“The purpose of tithing is to teach you to always put God in first place in your life” (Deuteronomy 14:23, The Living Bible).

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Giving is also how we experience joy. Brightening someone’s day with a call or a visit; sharing food with someone who is hungry; see the difference a simple gift can make in a person’s life – all these remind us that in giving, we always receive something in return. Perhaps that is why Jesus said, “There is more happiness in giving than in receiving” (Acts 20:35, TEV).