Stimulus Check: Tithe or Not Tithe
“Should I tithe off my stimulus payment?”
Someone recently asked me this question and I want to share my response with you.
Let me start by saying that I think that those of you asking this question have the right heart towards God and His kingdom. Most people are not thinking about tithing when it comes to these payments. You are thinking about seeking the kingdom first!
Now, let’s examine this question in greater detail.
First, let’s talk about what tithing really is. Tithing means giving 10% of your income to God through the local church. Personally, I believe that Christians should tithe consistently on all of their earned income. Every time I receive a paycheck from my church, a speaking engagement, officiating a wedding or a funeral, or any other ministerial opportunity, I tithe. Likewise, when you receive income from your work, you should tithe.
Does that include this stimulus payment? The Bible doesn’t say anything explicitly about stimulus payments, and this is an unprecedented occurrence. The federal government has issued “Economic Impact Payments” for certain segments of the population based on certain eligibility criteria. If you were eligible, you received this money whether you wanted it or not. This payment is intended as provision for a specific situation. The stimulus money is definitely not payment for your work and when we receive money that we have not earned, we consider that a gift.
If this gift came in a different form, there would be no question about whether we should tithe on it. If I received a pair of shoes for my birthday or a gift card to one of my favorite restaurants, I would not tithe on it. In fact, I could not tithe on it. While I faithfully tithe on my earned income, I cannot always tithe on gifts.
So can you tithe on this stimulus payment? Absolutely! But do you have to tithe on it? No; it is a gift and you can do with it as you see fit. Now I want to go back to one more thing I said early on: The people asking this question are seeking God’s kingdom first. Praise God!
Jesus told the disciples in Matthew 10:8, “Freely you have received; freely give.”
I encourage you to think about this in greater terms than just tithing or not tithing. Be led by the Spirit of God. Go beyond 10% in your thinking about this money. Here are some kingdom principles to guide you as you manage this gift:
Give an extravagant offering to the house of the Lord.
Give to people you know who are in need.
Pay your bills.
Save money for the future.
Pay off debts.
Purchase something you want to help you enjoy life. Jesus came for you to have life and have it more abundantly. It is His will for you to enjoy life, so don’t feel guilty if you want to use some of this money to make a fun purchase.
If you want to know more about tithing, check out my new book called, “This Is Why I Tithe" We go into more detail about the why behind the tithe.