Robert Kiyosaki on Tithing

For those of you new to Free Money Finance, I post on The Bible and Money every Sunday. Here's why.

Here's a quote from Rich Dad's Increase Your Financial IQ: Get Smarter with Your Money:

As far as tithing goes, we continue to donate a large percentage to charitable organizations. It's important to give. As my very religious friend says, "God does not need to receive, but humans need to give." Also, the reason we give is because tithing is our way of paying our partner -- God. God is the best business partner that I've ever had. He asks for 10 percent and lets me keep the other 90 percent. You know what happens if you stop paying your partners? They stop working with you. That is why we tithe.

Like much of what Kiyosaki says, there's a mix of truth and "say what?" in these comments.  Here's my take:

1. God isn't some sort of spiritual income insurance that you pay off and you're promised to prosper.

2. Key difference between seeing God as a golden goose and a heavenly Father that you want a relationship with is your attitude. Consider the passage that says we should "remember" God since He helps us produce wealth. It doesn't say "pay Him off and then forget Him."

3. The purpose of tithing is to teach us to put God first in our lives. Again, it's not as simple as writing Him a check and forgetting everything else He says.

4. I believe that giving (with the right attitude) does make you wealthier. God does promise to "open the windows of heaven" if you tithe and make your 90% go farther than 100% without tithing.

5. But giving isn't the whole story. You need to look at the complete picture of what the Bible says on managing your money. If you do, you will become wealthy.

6. The whole relationship between giving and wealth is very unusual to say the least. It doesn't make sense that you'd become wealthier by giving (the math doesn't make sense) but in many cases this is what even non-Christian advisors advocate. There is a "power" in giving.

7. Scientific research has now shown that if you give, you will have a better life.

Those are my top-line thoughts. What's your take on the issue? Even if you're not a Christian or are "religious", do you think there's a link between giving and becoming wealthier?

Comments

[Adam]

Giving is the #1 cure for selfishness!

Good post! Also, good to keep in mind for those that are Christians...the New Testament mandate is no longer the tithe or tenth, but giving as much as you can with a cheerful heart. We ought to give often, give generously, and give until it hurts (give sacrificially). For some this may be quite a bit more than 10%. We always recommend to folks during our budget counseling that are not giving that they ought to start at 10% as a good starting point, and hopefully over time they will increase their giving.

[Traciatim]

Sure, if you harvest crops you should give 10% of your yield, but I believe the actual instructions are that "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." . . . not "Give your church 10% or you won't be invited to the ."

[Benjamin]

We do not "tithe". But my wife and I do donate a portion of our salary every year to charitable organizations.

Eitherway, there is no better feeling than giving money away to a good cause.

[Ben]

This is my first post, I've been reading your blog for a few weeks. Thanks for the repository of ideas and information!

I like how you said "...it's not as simple as writing Him a check and forgetting everything else He says." You're right.

It's not 10% is God's and 90% is yours to do what you want. All of our wealth belongs to God. We are stewards of God's money. As Christians we should honor God with our lives in their entirety, including our finances. Our motive to give shouldn't be so that God will bless us. It should come from the gospel. I /think/ we would be wise to give a tithe at a minimum... and also pray, and ask ourselves how we should budget the rest of /God's/ money. It may mean to give more, but it could also mean to educate yourself, invest, go on a missions trip, or anything that would glorify God.

[Arelthia]

I have been reading for a while. I just had to comment about this post. I agree with Ben. We are called to be faithful stewards of all that God provides. The quote from Kiyosaki's shows what Howard Dayton would call the "prosperity attitude".

[Lazy Man and Money]

I've been watching a bit of the late George Carlin and noticed this relevant quote about God, "He loves you, and He needs money! He always needs money! He's all-powerful, all-perfect, all-knowing, and all-wise, somehow just can't handle money! Religion takes in billions of dollars, they pay no taxes, and they always need a little more."

I thought it was an interesting thought on Tithing.

[Richard]

Giving away 10% of your income doesn't make financial sense, that's for sure.

I do it though, and so do many others. I was a missionary in Brazil for two years. In some cities I served among some very destitute Christians. One thing that I saw was that those who paid a tithing on their increase always had sufficient for their needs. Those who didn't invariably ended up having some sort of financial troubles.

I never met anyone who had become rich just because they paid their tithing, but I met many who were blessed in other ways that allowed them to have their needs met. Their health was better, or they had an easier time finding jobs, or they were given gifts of food from friends, etc.

--

On tithing meaning 10%.

The very word tithe means tenth. Anything other than 10% isn't technically a tithe.

There are other offerings/donations that can and should be made though. eg. In our church we have a monthly fast offering where we skip two meals (fasting) and give the money we would have spent on the meals to a fund which provides food for the needy.

[Chase Roper]

Great post here! Tithing is such a complicated subject because you not only have the conversation going on with non-beleivers about whether a church should get the money or not, but then you have the discussion with believers about how it should be done and for what reason. I think you addressed it very simply and well enough. Jesus talked more about money then he did any other single topic. God knew it was going to be a MAJOR hang up for people. I think people who give in the face of uncertainty will be met by God's provisions. Maybe not always becoming wealthy in a financial sense, but spiritually your cup will be overflowing because of it.

[Ryan S]

The Old Covenant was 10%. The New Convenant is 100%. Before we can grow, we need to let go of the old ways.

[Trent D.]

>>>

Interesting as long as you don't take it for anything more than what it is - comedy. That money does get spent, you know :)

[MInTheGap]

I think that this also goes to helping us to maintain perspective. Those that simply try to accumulate wealth find that they can never have enough, and they get the mindset that they deserve the money.

Those that give realize that there's more to life than money, and that you can't take it with you.

God doesn't need your money. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills and the wealth in every mine. We aren't doing Him any favors by giving Him back any percentage, but what we are doing is growing to be more like Him in loving others more than we love ourselves.

[Mar]

All I know is that since I started giving 10% (or more), God has provided for every need and many wants, even when logically on paper it didn't appear possible. It ALL belongs to God and he blesses us with what we need. I also know I feel much better when I give.

[MonkeyMonk]

Sorry to be the continual cynic on Kiyosaki but I suspect that when he writes a story on tithing it's only because he's realized that there's a segment of the population that he can impress with these stories and somehow make money off them. Although I will admit that there's often a kernel of good information in his tidbits, I continue to think he just about this biggest fraud in the personal finance field. He's our version of a snake-oil salesman.

[Jennifer in OR]

Thank you for this great post! This is included in the Christian Carnival, up tomorrow at Diary of 1.

[Jeremy]

I'm a little late posting a comment to this topic, but I really enjoyed what you wrote and felt the need to add something further.

To me, tithing is about so much more than money. It's giving of yourself -- be it money, time, an ear to listen or a shoulder to cry on. Your time is worth so much more than the check you might drop in the offering plate each Sunday.

Although 'tithe' literally means 'tenth' (as Richard pointed out), I think that a strict focus on a specific number robs us of the potential blessings in store for us when we give ourselves to others.

I'm reminded of the story of Cain and Abel where each brought an offering before God, but only 1 was honored.

I think it illustrates a good lesson for all of us that it's not what we give, but the condition in which we give it.