“Many Christians say that 10% – a “tithe” of our income – is a good starting point in our giving. The principle behind tithing is a recognition of where our heart is (Matthew 6:21) and whose “our” money is. For me, giving the first 10% to God’s work is a recognition that all I have is God’s, and a declaration that I’m trusting God as my provider and security for all my needs. It’s a way of me showing God I love Him more than money.

I used to think about giving in terms of generosity, but I now view it in terms of sacrifice. I realised that generosity is often seen in relation to the amount given – but the reality is that someone very wealthy can make a very large and apparently generous donation without it having any real impact on them, while someone less wealthy can make a much smaller contribution that’s incredibly costly.

Jesus summarised this in the story of the widow’s offering (Mark 12:41-44), where she gave just a few coins yet it was all she had to live on. She gave sacrificially, recognising it as an act of worship and of total dependence on God. That’s the kind of sacrificial giver I want to be. For me, that means 10% is now a starting point, beyond which I am learning to live sacrificially for the sake of the kingdom. In your circumstances sacrificial giving may look very different.

I invite you to talk to God about it, asking God what trusting obedience would look like for you in your finances?”   

Rev Matt Hird