Honor God by Giving: A commentary on Proverbs 3:9-10

Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine (vs 9-10).

When I came to this passage, I looked for a better understanding because it has been used so many times in conjunction with tithing to a church. I don’t agree with tithing anymore because we are not under the Mosaic Law and we don’t have priests to feed.

I was directed online to a commentary on this passage by Adam Clark which made some sense to me (when I study, I try to avoid reading commentaries in order to hear God for myself. But as we all know, God speaks through the collective body, and so, I can’t get everything from God directly).

I know that all scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching and for training in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16), and so I wanted to understand how I could apply these verses in spite of the harlot church’s misuse of them to extract money from its people.

Basically, we honor the Lord by giving a portion of what he’s already given to us (because he’s our provider) to someone who needs, or could use it to further God’s kingdom. This is how God is honored. Since I don’t attend a church, I can’t give to a church. So how do I apply this scripture? I give to the ministries that are feeding me and I give to the local poor in my area. This doesn’t have to be money, but it usually is. If it’s items of clothing or food, or stuff we don’t use anymore, we must give and give only our best. As we do this, the Lord will return it.

The commentary said this:

It would be well to give a portion of the produce of every article by which we get our support to God, or to the poor, the representatives of Christ. This might be done either in kind, or by the worth in money. Whatever God sends us in the way of secular prosperity, there is a portion of it always for the poor, and for God’s cause. When that portion is thus disposed of, the rest is sanctified; when it is withheld, God’s curse is upon the whole. Give to the poor, and God will give to thee… ~ Adam Clark

Don’t be stingy is what I heard too. I now purpose to give to the ministries I find online who bless me. It’s not my money but God’s and I should distribute it to the real saints who ask for it and the poor who genuinely need it. This takes God’s leading because, in the past, I’ve made the mistake of giving my time and talent to ministries who didn’t deserve it and weren’t truly working for the Lord.

But as we give, it mustn’t be done just to get a return because that would be giving with the wrong motive. This is why all those people who give Clefro Dollar their hard-earned dollars won’t receive a return. He’s stimulated the lust of greed in them and all they can think about is how God is going to make them rich. God’s not going to bless them. God cares about the support of the ministries that preach the truth and the poor in the local area.

I have been receiving encouragement and understanding from a few ministries, and wasn’t honoring God by properly supporting them. It would be wise of me to begin to. This scripture helps:

Remember this–a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” (2 Corinthians 9:6-7 NLT)

I purpose to give money or other things to those who have need and who preach the true word of God.

This ministry is no longer in service. I left the Christian faith and no longer agree with some of the content posted here. However, this website will remain available for archive purposes. Read the details in my last post.