Mommy, Why Do My Friends Get Cool Toys?

Inevitably, a child will ask his/her parents this question. When a young child lives in a society that is composed of a wide spectrum of people, they will invariably find someone who is better off than they are. Yet, sometimes, these people are peers. This causes the child to wonder what could cause such a significant rift between them and their peers? The short answer is: money. When their friends have iPhones and laptops, how is a child going to react when they ask for them and their parents say that they can't afford them? Or even, that they have other priorities for their money? This is a problem that is prevalent in Christian homes and poverty is not the primary cause. The root is investing in the Kingdom of God.

Everything that a Christian owns is given to them by God. It's God's property. That is why we don't withhold it when God mercifully asks for only 10%. Now, this 10% is a sizable amount of money though. Let's do some math. Say that a man earns $60,000 a year for his family. This means that he gives $6,000 a year to the church. That's two nice vacations right there! Christians families could sure have a lot more vacations, electronics, and new cars if they didn't give this money. But they do and they do because it's valuable. They are investing in eternity! The money that goes to the church goes to keeping the church going, missions, and providing for you pastor! These are the chief ways that tithing benefits the Kingdom of God. However, every action ripples and has far reaching effects. The point is, God uses what we give. We give it because it's a worthwhile investment! There is no greater return than the one from received by investing in God's Kingdom. So, next time you consider why you don't have that new iPhone or cool car, remember that your money is doing things that are far more valuable. You are laying up treasure where neither moth nor rust can destroy.

God Bless,

Stanley