Money. They had never argued about money, but it was a subject that they respected. Since Dick was a 'depression baby' and she a '30s' baby, they both had lived with the realities of living a frugal life. Dick remembered meager meals and she remembered owning only two outfits to wear for school and one special dress for Sundays. So it was no surprise that they monitored a careful budget during their married life.
Then came the moment in their lives when they heard the word tithe. Back in early 1971 they were asked to be chairpersons for a special weekend in their church called Lay Witness Weekend. Janet had recently met people who recently had such a weekend and she had been amazed at the tangible love that overflowed them. These men and women clearly stated that they had heard about the power of Jesus Christ during a Lay Witness Weekend and that experience had changed their lives. After listening to these testimonies Janet was convinced her home church had to have such a weekend.
So during that weekend, she and Dick heard about tithing...how people were blessed when they gave full tithes and offerings to the Lord. Dick shook his head....10% of their income??? How could they do that? Here they were with four little kids, moderate income as an elementary school principal, mortgage, demands of living in an upscale community plus they felt good about contributing at least something to their church.
Then by the beginning of December of 1971, having grown in Bible study, they decided to plunge in and abruptly begin tithing....a straight 10% of Dick's income. But it was December...Christmas presents, extra stuff for the kids...were they crazy? But Dick started writing the weekly checks. And they held their breaths. Was this going to work? The first year was tough. To maintain their 10% tithe they pooled some money that Janet was earning from singing at weddings and church services. They wanted to fulfill their commitment to God.
They discovered some wonderful verses in Malachi and they read them over and over again.
"I the Lord do not change....... Return to me, and I will return to you," says the Lord Almighty.
"But you ask, 'How are we to return?'
"Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.
"But you ask, 'How do we rob you?'
"In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse-the whole nation of you-because you are robbing me. Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." Malachi 3: 6-10
During the coming weeks and months they were amazed. Yes, tithing did work. Their money seemed to stretch and all bills were paid. Blessings abounded. Then they heard about the father of a friend who tithed, not 10% but 70%! What? And that family had five kids! Wow! They began to think maybe they could stretch their giving beyond 10%.
So as the years continued they kept giving increased tithes and offerings and they were never in need. One year after Dick retired they decided to make a substantial increase in their tithe for a worthy mission cause. They were not sure how this would work out but they trusted God. Unbelievably, a few weeks later Dick got a letter stating that because he was a veteran he was getting a monthly increase in his pension which matched the amount they had increased in their monthly tithe! Was that confirmation? Amen!
And now they again thanked the Lord for His blessings. The cost of cancer treatments are astronomical and can lead to bankruptcy. But because of the generous benefits that Dick received upon retirement as an elementary school principal in New Jersey all the hospital stays and chemotherapy treatments that Janet had endured were covered by insurance! This had huge implications. With the trauma of going through 16 months of chemotherapy, four months as an impatient in Syracuse Upstate Hospital, months of therapy....speech, physical and occupational, weekly stays at the hospital during one year of chemo, Janet realized the overwhelming trauma of huge medical bills would have devastated her. God had prepared them and provided for them.
As she thought about their financial situation over the years she knew how everyone holds their wallets close to their hearts. Friends rarely divulge their salaries or how much they paid for their homes or what debt they are carrying. No, we hold these money facts close to our hearts. But God knows. We can't hide anything from Him. But if we honor Him by "giving of the first fruits of our labors" He will bless us.
Janet remembered how for years they managed their budget by first cashing Dick's bi-weekly checks and depositing the budgeting amount in various envelopes. They were labeled: food, mortgage, utilities, insurance, taxes, medical, clothing, and God. Dick always filled God's envelope first. One time their son pleaded for new gym shoes. She looked in the clothing envelope and it was empty so she told him he'd have to wait until next paycheck. Glenn checked through the envelopes and found money in the God envelope. "We can borrow from God!" he exclaimed. "God won't mind." They laughed. Of course they did not borrow from God and it gave a wonderful opportunity for helping their son understand the importance of tithing. He got his gym shoes in another week when there was money in the clothes envelope.
Yes, our wallets are close to our hearts but what joy it gives our hearts to give generously to God!
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