Tithing the Heart : Luke 11:42 : What Jesus Did! : HEARTLIGHT®

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Tithing the Heart - Luke 11:42

"But it will be bad for you Pharisees! You give God one-tenth of {everything you own}--even your mint, your rue, and every other little plant in your garden. But you forget to be fair to other people and to love God. These are the things you should do. And you should also continue to do those other things--{like giving one-tenth}." (ERV) Full Text

Key Thought

Jesus reminds the Pharisees that tithing is important. They shouldn't neglect their tithes. However, tithing down to the minute detail isn't the ultimate issue in giving. Working to insure that justice and God's love are a part of our personal lives and our world are crucial. The reason we are to be generous is because our Father is generous. The reason we are loving is because God has loved us. The reason we work for justice is because God works justice for the oppressed. We want to be about our Father's business and living out our Father's character. Tithing is one aspect of that. Love and justice are the heart of it!

Today's Prayer

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Father, help me not lose sight of the forest for the trees. I confess that I sometimes get so caught up in my personal responsibilities to give that I lose sight of why you call me to be generous and loving. Give me a heart that works for justice for the oppressed, downtrodden, forgotten and marginalized. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

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Today's Verses in Context

After Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee asked Jesus to eat with him. So Jesus came and took a place at the table. But the Pharisee was surprised when he saw that Jesus did not wash his hands first before the meal. The Lord (Jesus) said to him, "You Pharisees {think that washing the outside of the body is so important. That's like} cleaning only the outside of a cup or a dish! {The inside is more important.} And what is inside you? You want only to cheat and hurt people. You are foolish! The same One (God) that made what is outside also made what is inside. So pay attention to what is inside. Give to the people that need help. Then you will be fully clean. But it will be bad for you Pharisees! You give God one-tenth of {everything you own}--even your mint, your rue, and every other little plant in your garden. But you forget to be fair to other people and to love God. These are the things you should do. And you should also continue to do those other things--{like giving one-tenth}. It will be bad for you Pharisees because you love to get the most important seats in the synagogues. And you love for people to show respect to you in the market places. It will be bad for you, because you are like hidden graves. People walk on them without knowing it."

— Luke 11:37-44 (ERV)

Comments on "Tithing the Heart":

You say {that God is with you}. So you should do good things, not evil. Then you will live. And the Lord God All-Powerful really will be with you. Hate evil and love goodness. Bring fairness back into the courts. Maybe then the Lord God All-Powerful will be kind to the survivors from Joseph's family. "I hate your holidays! I will not accept them! I don't enjoy your religious meetings! Even if you offer me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them! I will not even look at the fat animals you give as fellowship offerings. Take your noisy songs away from here. I will not listen to the music from your harps. You should let fairness flow like water {through your country}. Let goodness flow like a stream that never becomes dry.
Amos 5:14-15, 21-24 (ERV)

Then I will come to you--and I will do the right thing. I will be like a person that is ready to tell the judge about the bad things people did. Some people do evil magic. Some people do the sin of adultery. Some people make false promises. Some people cheat their workers--they don't pay them the money they promised. People don't help widows and orphans. People don't help strangers. People don't respect me!" The Lord All-Powerful said these things.
Malachi 3:5 (ERV)

Learn to do good things. Be fair with other people. Punish the people that hurt others. Help the children that have no parents. Help the women whose husbands are dead."
Isaiah 1:17 (ERV)

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