Tuesday – Pentateuch

Reading – Deuteronomy 25-26

Highlight Verse:

““Every third year you must offer a special tithe of your crops. In this year of the special tithe you must give your tithes to the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows, so that they will have enough to eat in your towns.”
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭26‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

When I was a “starving college student” there was a couple in my church who took this scripture quite literally and gave one of their tithe checks directly to me.

While I am not advocating giving a tithe to anyone but your local church,

this verse raises an interesting concept.

Directing your giving in such a way as to give a maximum tax benefit is certainly wise, especially if you also give what you saved in taxes.

But there’s something to be said for helping people directly.

It blesses the recipient by meeting their needs and desires.

It blesses the giver with the satisfaction of causing good.

And it advances the Gospel by serving as an illustration of the grace of God.

I believe other verses make it clear that the whole tithe should go to the local church.

But God always out-gives us, freeing up money to help those in need all around us.

Have you prayed about giving directly to those in need?
Do you think it is a good thing to do?