“For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.” — Malachi 3:6–10, ESV
Let’s be honest—when most of us hear the word tithe, our shoulders tense up like we just heard the dentist say, “This might sting a little.”
Why? Because money has a way of squeezing our hearts. It’s not just numbers on a bank app; it’s security, comfort, control… and maybe even that extra-large coffee we convince ourselves is a “need.”
But Scripture is bold: when we withhold our giving, we’re not just being “tight with cash”—God calls it robbing Him. Ouch. That hits harder than the moment you realize “net” and “gross” are not the same paycheck math.
Open Hand vs. Closed Fist
Here’s the truth: it’s not our money in the first place. “The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein” (Psalm 24:1, ESV). We’re not owners—we’re stewards. Once that clicks, giving becomes less like “losing” and more like investing in eternity.
Giving has to be done with an open hand, not a clenched fist. God doesn’t want us to be guilt-driven donors; He calls us to be cheerful givers. “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7, ESV).
Notice that—God loves it when we give with joy, not when we give while muttering under our breath, “There goes my pizza budget.”
Trusting God’s Storehouse
I’ll admit it: I haven’t always been faithful in giving. But I’ve learned to keep it simple—10% to the church I’m attending, trusting that if I’m submitting to their teaching, then I can also trust their stewardship. Paul reminds us not to get tangled up in “foolish controversies” (Titus 3:9, ESV). Net or gross? Gift or tithe? Don’t miss the bigger picture: giving is about your heart, not your calculator.
In Malachi, God’s people had to return in their hearts before their hands. Repentance always precedes blessing. And when they obeyed, the Lord Himself promised to “open the windows of heaven” (Malachi 3:10, ESV). That’s not just poetry—that’s provision.
Job, Faithful in the Ashes
If you’re thinking, “But I can’t give—my life’s already a financial mess,” remember Job. He lost everything, yet remained faithful.
“And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.” — Job 42:10, ESV
Job’s story doesn’t end with just “stuff back.” God gave him deeper blessing, long life, and even a legacy of daughters so beautiful that Scripture paused to mention them by name. His faithfulness in ruin revealed his character, and God honored it.
Don’t Rob the Blesser
Here’s the heart of it: I don’t want to rob the God who rescued me when I had nothing. There were seasons when I had no bed, no funds, and no idea what tomorrow looked like. Yet God provided—sometimes with unexpected money, sometimes with a place to stay, sometimes with a person who simply listened.
Looking back, I can see how God was quietly moving pieces, protecting me from greater harm, and guiding me closer to Him.
So now, giving isn’t a burden—it’s gratitude. It’s a declaration that I trust God more than I trust my wallet.
A Final Word
One of my favorite sayings is, “What you love, you will invest in.” Jesus said it better: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21, ESV).
So the question today isn’t just, “Do I tithe?” It’s: “Do I trust God enough to open my hand? Because when you do, you’re not just giving away—you’re entering into the joy of being a cheerful giver.
And unlike temporary things like 401k or stocks, that’s one investment guaranteed to never go bust.
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