In Malachi 3:10-11 the bible outlines one of the principle rules to financial success. In this particular text the writer is referring to the tithe, which is a tenth of the “first fruits”.
In modern language, the tithe was given to the temple treasury first, before any bills were paid or any purchases were made. The tithe was stored in the temple treasury where it was used to assist the less fortunate in the community; the widows, the orphans, etc. By returning the tithe, the giver was promised divine protection from loss and was promised an overflow of blessing, so much so that there would not be room enough room to keep it all.
We are not advocating that following this advice will unlock some genie like mechanism that will guarantee excessive wealth and provide a hedge against all losses, but we do believe in the soundness of the basic principles illustrated here. At its best, giving allows the giver to look outside of his or her own needs, and become a blessing to someone else.
Charitable giving is a principle practiced by many of the worlds wealthiest people, including Warren Buffett and Bill Gates. It’s been reported in that these individuals have contributed up to 82% and 48% of their net worth to philanthropic causes respectively. Now most people can’t afford to give such a large percentage of their net worth away, however whatever you are able to give, whether it be in money or in personal time and effort, the rewards that come from giving of yourself are priceless.
