Jehovah Jira

DEVOTION
PROVERBS
JEHOVAH JIRA
Prov 3:9-10
9 Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.
NIV
It is the right thing to do as he has provided all of it to begin with. If I say to myself that it is mine, than I have not understood a thing. If I say to myself I do not have enough and I need to keep all I have, than I understand nothing. The question, of course is what is meant by honoring the Lord. Is this another word for tithe? Is this another Old Testament teaching on giving the Lord a tenth of all I have? How do I honor God by giving to men? Is not giving to the church, simply another way of giving to men, supporting the salaries of staff, and paying bills to keep the church open? What honor does God get from that? I do not believe that I should be selfish with my income, and that if I am being feed, in a spiritual sense, it is the right thing to help support those who have been called to serve him within the church. Yet are not many people, lay people, including myself, called to serve him in the church and do so without any financial compensation from the church? No, I think maybe this honoring God with my substance has more to do with making sure he receives all the glory and honor for providing me with all I need, all that I have, and all that I am, instead of giving other men some of what he has provided for me. I have often wondered, if I am to look to God for all I need, why should other men look to me for all they need, instead of looking to God. All that I have is because of God. He has giving me far more than I even need, but again, he has called me, and placed me within a cultural setting which requires a certain amount of material wealth in order to “fit in” so to speak. This has been done by him in order that I may have some influence upon this segment of society for the advancement of his kingdom. As I use my wealth for his kingdom, I will be blessed. As I use what he has given to me for the purpose of influencing others to walk in his ways, he will continue to provide me the means and blessing of more, to do more. I cannot keep to myself, or hide what he has done for me, I must honor him with it, and giving him the praise and honor he is due for being Jehovah Jira, the God who provides.