Have you ever found money while walking down the street?

If you have, whether it be a $1 bill or $100 bill, you may have experienced that joyful but uncomfortable feeling of getting to keep something that belongs to someone else. Even though we get a good feeling when we get something we haven’t had to work for, our possessions are really valuable to us. Nothing seems to be more valuable than that which we measure all value against—money. 

The financial group Empower published a survey in April which found that 62 percent of Americans don’t like talking about money and would rather discuss politics or even death! However, the study reported, “Millennials (56 percent) and Gen Z (49 percent) are less guarded, free with money topics compared to older generations (38 percent Gen X and 22 percent Boomers), and twice as likely to say they’re an ‘open book’ (28 percent vs. 13 percent).”  

As the discussion of money becomes more common amongst younger generations, it brings frank questions about giving money to our corps (churches) in the form of tithing. When I talk to teens and young adults about tithing, there are three tithing fallacies I mostly commonly hear. 

1. “I worked hard for this, why do I have to give some of it away?”

What you’re really saying: I earned this money; therefore, it doesn’t belong to God. 

Proverbs 14:23a says, “All hard work brings a profit” (NIV). I believe God encourages us to work hard at whatever job we have and use that income to better life for ourselves and our family. However, we should make sure we recognize the outcome of that work (normally, wages) as an outpouring of what God has given to us, therefore they belong to Him. 

In the same way, our tithe should be viewed as an outpouring of our monetary reward, directed towards God, through our church. While it is an outpouring, it is not something to be skimmed off the top of our bank account but to form its foundation. I strongly encourage you not to give out of what is left of your paycheck at the end of the pay period (that’s a good thing to save or do something special with), but give 10 percent first, before anything else is spent. 

2. What if I need the money in the future?

What you’re really asking: Can I fully trust God with tomorrow?

In Luke 12:16-21, Jesus shares a parable of a successful farmer whose crops did so well one year that he ran out of space to store them. He was faced with the dilemma of building more storage and keeping his extra income or sharing it. Wanting to keep his hard-earned wealth that would allow him to live the easy life for years to come, the farmer built more storage—expanded the business! However, God called him home that night with the farmer never getting to spend his new wealth. Jesus shares, “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:21, NIV). 

God encourages us to hold on to our money loosely, making wise financial decisions but also cultivating a spirit of generosity. I have heard many stories and have several of my own where God gave back in abundance when funds were needed after people were faithful in giving to Him. Scripture is clear that it is impossible to outgive God. I found that many of my blessings came after I got into a regular pattern of giving. 

Tithing is the foundation of spiritual generosity, upon which can be built by giving to special projects or events at the corps (such as world services), helping young adult missionaries, pooling money with others to sponsor a child through a reputable organization or simply taking a friend out for a meal and a movie. 

3. Can I start tithing when I want to “start my career”? 

What you’re really saying: Small things are insignificant to God. 

The Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30 shows us that giving small things to God is just as important as large—it’s not about money, it’s about mindset. There will always be the “next level” to achieve. Cultivate a simpler life and do not fall into the trap of spending everything you earn; this is so easy as a young person trying to keep up with trends in fashion, video games and life experiences (like trying to get the biggest limo at prom). Cultivating the discipline of saving is super healthy for anyone and starting only gets harder as you get older. 

The next time you find $20 on the street or 25 cents in the couch, remember that God does care about our relationship with money. You get to be a blessing to your church and others when you give and to be blessed yourself as God responds to your faithfulness.

for further study

• The Common Rule PDF Guide gives an overview of four daily and four weekly habits to set boundaries for technology. 
• Changing habits almost never happens alone. Habits are set in friendship and accountability. Find at least one other person who you want to practice some new habits with and see if you can try some of these habits for just a week. 

Watch:

• The Art of Habit: A video where Justin tells his story of anxiety and how daily and weekly habits changed his life.

Read:

• The Tech-Wise Family by Andy Crouch
• The Power of Habit by Charles Duhig
• You Are What You Love | The Spiritual Power of Habit  by James K.A. Smith

This article was originally titled “Tithing” in the November 2023 issue of Peer.