So I've been reminded over and over again that it's best to give your money to non-profit organizations which are also Christian. For example, if you want to give help to hunger, find a Christian organization and not just a hunger one.
There are obvious rewards to this. It's evangelism. And that's not to say that giving food and loving and other non-profits arn't, it's just that Christian organizations can go the extra mile and tell people that they are doing it because of God's love, grace, and mercy. And that's so good.
So, I found this really good place to donate to if you are still thinking about giving money to Haiti earthquake victims.
They are called food for the poor, and they specifically provide help in the areas of food, water, and shelter specifically for people in the caribbean and south america.
They also do missions trips, and work with churches and schools.
Also, the side of the website reminds us, when we give, we should follow up with prayer.
And so that, for a large part of my prayer time today, is what I've been focused on.
People have come at me from every side on my last blog entry asking people to help in Haiti, especially on the aspect of tithing. It always surprises me how many Christians don't tithe.
At the same time, I do recognize that tithing, is only written in the old testament. Mostly found in Leviticus, and that is where we get 10% from, in 27:32 the bible says that every 10th animal that passes under the shepard's rod belongs to God (we also see 10 percent again in deuteronomy 14:22, that every day we should put aside 1/10 of our crops for the Lord). And sure, we don't read about calling people to tithe in the new testament. In fact, in Luke 10:7 we read "the worker is worthy in his wages." ok, cool. but does being worthy of having not mean giving?
Here is what we else we see in new testament:
Jesus calls the rich man to sell all of his belongings and give them to the poor, and the rich man goes away sad because he has much. Jesus says that it is harder for a rich man to get into a heaven than for a camel to go through the head of a needle. Why?
Matthew 6:24 reminds us that we cannot be a servant to two Gods, saying that God is one and money is the other. If we are captivated by one, how can we possibly be fully captivated by the other?
2 corinthians 9:7 calls us to be cheerful givers, matthew 5:42 says don't turn away from the man who wants to borrow from you, 1 timothy 6: 17-18 calls those who are rich to share because God is pleased with sacrifice; the list goes on and on and on.
It seems to me that Christians don't have the option of whether to help the poor or not; Christians are called to help those less fortunate than themselves. Sure, tithing was great, and it was consistant, but in the new testament we see something new: we see love over law. And love calls us to compassion and mercy and giving. A love that possibly calls us to reach out when we see people in Haiti in pain. So sure, maybe new testament doesn't call us to tithe- but in all honestly it calls us to something even more- it calls us to be aware, to watch out for those around us, and to give when we see people in need and we have more.
Another thing I see a lot of today is young people around my age who think that they are too young, and don't have enough yet to be settled down and able to tithe, or to give money at all.
But we see in Mark 12:43-44, the parable of the poor women who gives her last coin, that people with less are even more righteous than those who are rich and give the same amount. He encourages us to give because giving is Godly. And Matthew 6:33 is further encouragement to us, saying "but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you."
I know, as seems to be the theme that I keep pulling back to from my first entry, that starting sucks. but starting is the hardest part. Then you realize you don't even miss your money. You realize that praying over where it is going is way more fulfilling. You find that you can hear God more clearly, and are more focused. Starting is the hardest part, but once you get the hang of it, doing things when they should be done is so easy.
I've heard so many testimonies of God's grace in helping provide, as the scripture from Matthew above tells us, and I want to share one right now.
My old intervarsity leaders Eric and Beth Gambardella fundraise their entire salaries through intervarsity to do what they do. They lived in a horribly small apartment, really needed somewhere larger to do their work, but they were having money problems. But Beth told a story of how they acted out as followers of Christ and tithed anyways. The next day when they were driving home, someone had left a huge desk on the side of the road for the trash. They took it home with them, cleaned up all their clutter by putting it in the desk, and suddenly had so much room in their apartment to do their work.
As I've been learning from my fast, we don't need as many things as we think we do. Day 4 and I feel fine. Sure, cheese and chocolate and coffee are good, but I don't need them. Not like other people need food and water. Not nearly like all of us need a Savior.
Seek God first, and everything else will fall into place.
day 4- sunflower seeds and raisens, tomato soup, and stirfry vegetables
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