The church, she is a changing. Membership is down, people are angry, people are lost, and televangelists have been investigated by Congress. We have more than a few problems. The economy is not our friend. We may be meeting in living rooms or at kitchen tables and some of us deign to meet online, but there is help in meeting the needs of the world even without a home church.
How do I tithe without money?
In the scriptures we learn of blood sacrifice. Something was killed as an atonement for our sin or something was killed as a celebration for G-d's faithfulness. Villagers also brought their livestock into town to gift to the church. In this age of technology how to we offer a tithe to show our gratitude? It starts with prayerful meditation. If we aren't spending time with G-d, then we don't know what we are being called to do or give up as an offering. We need to start by sacrificing time away from the computer or TV. Our greatest tithe comes from giving of ourselves and meeting G-d. Tithing should be something quiet and sacred. It should be shrouded in a little mystery. It should be bathed in respect. If tithing isn't personal, then we have failed and offered an empty tithe.
In some cultures, after bread has been broken some of the food is set aside as an offering. After the meal the food can be taken outside and left for G-d. We are in essence feeding his creatures. We should never throw food into a trash can when a lot of us have backyards where we can feed the birds or the dogs, or just simply fertilize the ground so our crops can grow strong. You have neighbors with composting bins, they will be happy to take your left-overs. If you see someone in your neighborhood being called on by Meals on Wheels, you may already have a place to take a plate of food.
I have many friends that sew or crochet. Using materials that we already have to create a coat or blanket is a lovely and personal way to tithe. Sitting with friends at a rest home or doing physical labor around a local school or park is one way to put others needs above our own. Spending a day inside a park on a trail picking up trash is an excellent way to be in communion with G-d while doing work that meets many needs. Is recycling a way to tithe? Absolutely. How you deal with all of your "blessings" after you are finished with them says a lot about your character. Food, clothing, furniture all wind up in dumps unless you are willing to take the time to feed and clothe people who need help. There are plenty of businesses that would gladly take your "trash" and make them treasures. If you feel G-d gave you something, shouldn't you ask if he expects it to wind up in a landfill or if there is somewhere else it could go.
How do I tithe with money?
Your first course of action is to find out why you want to tithe. And if you find yourself feeling vain or flaunting your help, you are wasting every one's time. I am not talking to you. If you record your tithes so that G-d can borrow your money until Uncle Sam can pay it back, I am not speaking to you. You have an agenda that I cannot help, nor do I want to. Giving for the good of G-d because you want to, knowing that you won't miss the money is what I am talking about. G-d doesn't need to borrow your money. Technically G-d doesn't need you, but tithing is about faith and belief, and you GIVE. You just simply give expecting nothing in return. You give because you're happy, you give because you know poverty.
What are our choices if we are without a church, without a church that we financially trust, or even without that deep faith? We start in our community. We start at the schools, the day cares, the prisons, the libraries, the soup kitchens, the nursing homes. 10 dollars a week equals 520 dollars a year. That is actually a Huge drop in the bucket for many programs. Can you imagine if someone walked up too you and handed you a check for 520 dollars? A Habitat House can average about 7 thousand dollars depending on donations and help as well as location. You could help fund a house. You could provide therapeutic riding lessons for kids in need. You could provide coffee and breakfast for those people who work at voting polls. You could buy text books for a kid at community college.
Once you find your passion, and that's what it should be: passion, everything becomes a little easier. Writing a check is easy. You let G-d take the responsibility for the outcome, but when you become personally involved in your tithing, then you will find that you have a longing to reach your goals and you really learn to love the experience. You also learn about listening and you'll find G-d speaking in every corner of your community.
What I don't need to do
If you won't eat it, do not donate it to those "less fortunate". They are human beings loved by G-d. If a package is damaged, open, or out of date, you have animals that might eat it, but if you won't serve it on your table, don't serve it on G-d's.
If you won't wear it, don't give it to a sister in Christ. Dress people as if they have some respect for themselves...There are dry cleaners and shoe repair shops that make it a point to repair or clean clothing so that it can be donated.
Don't talk about it. There is a passage in the bible that talks about being alone in a closet when you pray. Matthew 6.6 I think. Being alone in G-d, with G-d, it is an intimate relationship. If we cannot respect that moment then it's all for nothing. Tithing is a way to pray, a way to communicate with the Lord. If we don't feel that connection, if we don't feel completely humble in our ability to give, then we're doing it wrong.
Don't let the world get you down. So you give a kid a coat and 3 days later you find it on the playground. It's not okay to stop giving. Things will happen. Coats will be forgotten, food will spoil. It's not your fault and G-d isn't "wasting" your money. Some of our greatest lessons in life come when we look back on what we wasted and what we threw away. We learn to be humble and greatful. Sometimes life just gets in the way...it doesn't mean that every gift that you give will be wasted. It just means that some things take time.
Treat yourself like a human being and pretty soon you'll be treating everyone like that.~Mama Shey
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