Scriptures For Financial Health: Malachi 3:10

"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it" (Malachi 3:10).



Tax day has come and gone and the protestors were out in full force yesterday protesting high taxes. Yesterday, also, the tax returns of President Obama and Vice-President Joe Biden were released to the public. This was of particular interest to me, because I have always believed that one's level of personal prosperity directly correlates with one's level of giving. This is a spiritual law, where the giver is blessed even more than the receiver, for "it is more blessed to give than receive" (Acts 20:35). Those of us who are of the more generous spirit should therefore expect to obtain great blessings from God, when we give generously. I am therefore not surprised when I see the difference in the level of giving and prosperity of the Obamas compared with the Bidens. According to news sources such as CNN, the Obamas earned $2,656,902 in 2008, paid $855, 323 in taxes, and donated $172, 050 to charity. Mathematically speaking, the Obamas paid 32% of their income in taxes, and gave 6.5% of their pre-tax income to charity, or 9.5% of their post-tax income to charity, or almost 10% of their post-tax income! This giving to charity does not include loose cash donations that they might have "dropped in the offering plate" of churches or other non-tax deductible gifts or donations. The Obamas, I must say, have come pretty close to the Biblical tithe in their charitable giving from their post-tax earnings on their tax returns, and hence no wonder their phenonemal wealth, material prosperity, and economic stability as a family.

In contrast, the Bidens earned $269, 256 in 2008, paid $46, 952 in taxes, but only gave $1,885 in donations! This was much, much less that what most middle class people who earn less $200,000 give as tithes, and much less than what I gave in tithes last year, even though I earn substantially less money! Mathematically speaking, the Bidens paid 17% of their income in taxes, but only gave away 0.70% of their pre-tax income, or 0.85% of their post-tax income. Even if you should do the calculation of their declared taxable income of $183, 315, you still get a charitable giving rate of 1.0% pre-tax, and 1.4% post-tax. Clearly the Bidens have fallen well below the Biblical tithe, and hence their level of material prosperity is less.

Let me say that while returning a tithe is not a guarantee of wealth.  It is a sure guarantee to economic stability(Malachi 3:10-11). As long as the Obamas keep on giving as they do, they are assuring themselves and their family a long legacy of economic stability, regardless of the economic climate in the country or around the world. God is merciful, and He will take care of those of us who do not give generously. He makes the rain to fall and the sun to shine on all, but His guarantee of economic prosperity is with those of us who tithe. Let me say again, tithing is not a get rich scheme of the Bible, for nowhere does it say that those who tithe will get wealthy, but it does say that God will bless those who tithe with economic stability, regardless of income levels. This is what we need now in these hard economic times.