People Praying

People Watching is a past time many of us engage in at the mall and while we are waiting in other public places, and since I spend a lot of time at the mall, (love you Heather) it something I do a lot.

The problem is, I have to confess, that people watching often turns into people judging. The loud group of teenagers, the homeless-looking middle aged man, the mother with a child throwing a temper tantrum, are all potential objects of my judgmentalism. Never mind that I was once a loud teen, that I was once homeless, that I have had my own children throw temper tantrums in public and I probably threw some of my own in my day. Yes, judgementalism is a persistent sin.

So, today I suddenly had an idea, "What if I prayed for the people as I watched them?" So I did. I began to pray silently for each person or group I saw.

• For the immigrant family 
• For the family with the special needs child. 
• For the man with the "Vietnam Veteran" hat. (It was Veterans' Day.) 
• For the mother with two small boys, one of whom is in a full blown meltdown. 

Often all I could really do is pray, "God bless them," as they passed by. As I engaged in this new hobby of "people praying," praying for people rather than just "watching" or worse still "judging" them, I found my heart more open and full of joy. Don't tell Heather, but I can't wait to go to the mall again.

Why I Don't Preach Tithing

1. Tithing is giving 10% of one's income to church and/or charity.  (Whether that means 10% of net or gross is still up for debate.)  
1. Tithing of agricultural products, not necessarily money, was required in the Old Testament. (eg Leviticus 27:30)  Later an exemption was made for farmers who lived at a distance from Jerusalem who could sell their tithe portion and then bring the money to Jerusalem and buy products to tithe. (Deuteronomy 14:24-26)
2. Some churches and pastors teach that a tithe of cash income is required for Christians, some calling it, "the minimum standard for Christian giving."  Some churches even require members to provide a copy of their income tax return so that they can prove that they are tithing.
3. In my experience the modern practice of tithing leads to pride on one hand and guilt on the other.  There are those who can give 10% and not even feel it, while there are many others who cannot give 10% without depriving themselves and their families.  Tithing has become a form of religious extortion which victimize the most faithful and spiritually and financially vulnerable.  Stories abound of lonely widows sending their life's savings to radio and TV preachers.  I think Jesus said something about religious leaders who extort money from widows in Mark 12:40 and Luke 20:47.
2. However, the New Testament does not teach tithing.  The New Testament only mentions tithing three times.  
1. Two of those comes from Jesus in the gospels, and both cast tithing and tithers in a negative light.  
1. The first comes from Matthew 23:23, and has a parallel in Luke 11:42, here Jesus is condemning the Pharisees, "You give a tithe of your spices--mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness."  
2. The second from Jesus comes from Luke 18:12, The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.  Both go to the Temple to pray, the tax collectors begs for mercy, the Pharisee brags about his righteousness saying, among other things, "I give a tithe of all I get."  
2. The other mention of tithing in the New Testament comes from Hebrews 7, but in that chapter the author uses the tithe merely as an illustration in the allegory relating the priesthood of Melchizedek in Genesis to the High Priesthood of Christ.  
3. So we have three mentions of tithing in the New Testament, two refer to tithing and tithers negatively , and the other merely uses tithing as an illustration in an allegory.
4. My conclusion, then, is that, because of the very specific way in which the tithe is treated in the Old Testament, and because of the lack of a  positive requirement in the New Testament, tithing is part of the Jewish ceremonial law and is NOT a requirement for Christians.  
3. Having said that, I need to say that that tithing does offer us the principle of proportional giving; we should all give in proportion to our income.  Also, I need to say that tithing is a wonderful spiritual and stewardship discipline.  If you are able to tithe, and feel called to do so, you should.
4. But, if the New Testament, Christian, standard of giving is not tithing, then what is it?  The Apostle Paul gives us some guidance in 2 Corinthians 9:7 "Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."  There are three principles for giving that are outlined in this passage.
1. First, the giving should be intentional.  We should pray about, and think about, and decide beforehand what we are going to give,  It should not be just whatever we happen to have at the time or whatever we feel like at the time.  Paul also reminds us in 1 Corinthians 16:2 that our giving should be proportional to our income (10% may work for some people)  The point is that we have to plan our giving and be intentional   Decide to give a certain amount every week or every month and follow through.
2. Second, our gift must be voluntary.  It cannot be a requirement.  It is not a fee.  It is not dues.  It is a gift.  To make tithing, or any other gift, a requirement means that is is not a gift anymore, and the giver will lose God's promised blessing.
3. Third, our gifts must be given given cheerfully.  Everybody likes receiving gifts, but nobody likes receiving gifts from a grumpy person with an attitude, and neither does God.  If you cannot give it willingly and cheerfully, keep it in your pocket!
5. As a Methodist and a Wesleyan, I practice Wesleyan stewardship which is outlined by John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Movement, in his sermon, "On the Use of Money."  
1. Wesley said that we are to earn all we can, save all we can, and give all we can.
1. First, we are to earn all we can though honest and hard work that is healthy and safe for our selves, our neighbors, and our environment.
2. Second, we are to save all that we can by being careful with our money and by avoiding unnecessary expense and luxury.
3. Third, we give all that we can, after we have met our needs and the needs of our families, short and long term, we give  the rest, all of it, away.
2. In Wesleyan stewardship we do not give God 10% and then do as we please with the other 90%.  No, in Wesleyan stewardship we do what God wants with 100% of the money that God has given us.  So, what does God want us to do with God's money?  I'm glad you asked.
1. Wesley taught that the the first thing God would have us do is to provide for our selves and our families and meet their needs.  The key word is needs.  Of course, that would include reasonable entertainment and recreation because these are needs.  
1. If we give away money without first meeting our own family's needs we cannot say that we have done God's will.  Remember when Jesus condemned the Pharisees for "giving a gift to God" rather than supporting their elderly parents in Mark 7:11.
2. Once we have met the needs of our selves and our families, we then give the rest of God's money to meet the needs of others and the church.
3. In Wesleyan stewardship every dollar belongs to God and every purchase and every financial decision is subject to the will of God.  We are invited to ask ourselves whether or not each and every purchase or decision we make is God's will, whether we can honestly say that this is something that is good and necessary for our selves and our family, or if this money can be given away or used for a more God-pleasing purpose.  In this way we give God 100%, not 10%.  To me this seems like a more difficult, more rewarding, and more God-pleasing method of stewardship.
6. In closing I would like to offer a modern parable that helps me understand Wesleyan stewardship.
1. When I was a kid my mom used to send me to the store.  I was sent with a list and money.  When I returned I had better have the items on the list, no more, no less, a receipt, and correct change.  (Once in awhile I would be allowed to get something for myself though; moms, and God, are good like that.)
2. In Wesleyan stewardship God gives us money to meet our needs, to do God's will, and, occasionally, to have a little fun.  Once we have met our needs we give God back God's change, and, trust me, God will look at the receipt.