My arrival at South Main in 1985 came during the upheaval of entering college and taking command of my life, both physically and spiritually. That was a formative time for me and so many members of this congregation helped me on that journey. To make ends meet, I began working at a grocery store, earning a meager paycheck that could only stretch far enough with the right living arrangements and roommates. As hard as it was to make ends meet in those days, I began to give some of that money to South Main. It wasn’t a lot, it wasn’t regular, and it certainly wasn’t a tithe. But it was a start. As time went on, I earned more at my job and my giving changed, becoming more regular and increasing in amount. This was a challenging time for my faith that instilled a lifelong habit. I was able to set a regular percentage of my paycheck to work toward giving a tithe with each raise I received, a goal that I eventually achieved.
Today, I write software in the corporate world, and I am much better off financially than in those formative years. There are still challenges to our family budget, to be sure, but I am already predisposed to tithe because I have exercised that discipline for so long now. Using auto-draft means I don’t need to remember to write a check or deal with giving while we are on vacation. Just as my company deposits my paycheck directly into my bank account, my auto-draft sends the tithe money directly to South Main for me.
The new stewardship campaign has five points. 1. Get on board. I think this is the hardest step because it requires humility and trust. Humility to realize that God is the source of my money. “But remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth” (Deut 8:18). Trust that God is for me. “I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jer 29:11) 2. Set it up. I wasn’t able to set up auto-draft way back when. But it makes sense for me today. 3. Round yours up. This was key for me when dealing with a paycheck that changed amounts from week to week. But it also allowed me to set my sights on a true tithe. 4. Strive to tithe. This became a reality for me in the 90s because of the steps I took along the way. 5. Over and above. For me, this is the next goal to explore on my faith journey.
We all have a faith journey we are living out each day of our lives. Some days are good, some not so much. “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand.” (Ps 37:23-24) If we are truly seeking God, the overall journey should lead us into His presence. Consider for yourself the next step you need to take on your journey.
