This series of blogs will talk to you about the importance of paying yourself first - the most powerful money management system I have ever known. Introduced to me in a seminar by a success coach last year, then tested and proven by the best selling personal finance authors I have come across in my self-education, this simple-yet-effective wealth management is the best thing that I've ever known about money and this can help me and you keep track of on the road to financial prosperity and freedom. And I wouldn't preach about this if I don't walk the talk.
If you got here by accident, I advise you go back to the introductory post about paying yourself first here so you could go along with the ride smoothly.
To recap the concept of "pay yourself first", it is about prioritizing savings before expenses. It is about setting money for yourself before you actually start using it for daily expenses or paying debts. While paying yourself first is the wisest thing to do in achieving financial freedom, there comes a twist in this principle.
When I first learned about the first part of paying yourself first last year, I realized that I have not been doing it faithfully all my life. But as a regular attendee - and servant - of our weekly Catholic fellowship known as The Feast since January of this year, I have come to understand its value like no other. And I am here to make that known to you.
WARNING: Doing this faithfully will actually bless you a thousand - or even a million - times more!
Growing up as a child, I never realized the value of tithing. Tithes, in case you are not familiar, refer to giving away 10 percent of your income to the church or community. Commonly practiced during masses and other Catholic gatherings, I didn't really think it was necessary to do so. I thought spare change was already a good enough contribution to the church.
Until one prayer gathering at The Feast, a verse from the Bible changed my perspective of tithing:
Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. (Malachi 3:10)
And so it struck me. The Bible talks about the value of giving. The Lord even mentions this offering, along with hundreds of passages that talk about money, almost more than any other topic in the Bible. All the while, it is a practice to give out a part of your monetary blessings to God as a way of gratitude for everything that has taken place in your financial life.
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| How it actually looks when we sincerely give our tithes and love offerings at The Feast |
The first part in the "Pay Yourself First" has to come from the heart. A contribution of at least 10% of your monthly income to God, through the church or in the community where you activity get involved, will make a difference in your road to your financial freedom and abundance like no other.
So why tithe before anything else? Here are my top 3 reasons:
1. You are reminded of the Lord who gave you the financial blessings.
To recognize that it is God who has given you these abundance of blessings only means that you begin to attract and receive more of it. With a cheerful smile and a happy heart you know that God will return to you a hundred, or even a thousandfold of blessings. The previous verse was about testing Him about tithes and offerings. This time, it is about giving credit to the Lord for such graces. The Bible says:
Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce, then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine. (Proverbs 3:9-10)
2. You actually become more blessed and happier in your financial life and life in general.
When we give back to God, it is very important that we give happily. Not forced, not coerced, not pressured. When God sees that you give because it is a way of saying "Thank You" for all the blessings, He definitely would not hesitate to unleash more blessings to you. It also makes you feel good in other areas of your life because the act of giving simply makes both the giver and receiver happy. The Bible says:
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:7)
3. You realize the real purpose of wealth.
When we receive our salaries and profits, we all know how good it feels. Treating ourselves would often be the remedy for a hard earned income. With tithes and love offerings, you open up an opportunity to achieve wealth, as defined by God. While we always think of storing our riches for a limited few, or even for ourselves, the act of giving back a portion of your salary in order to serve God and others becomes the real purpose of true wealth. It is in giving that we are able to receive more than what is in store for us coming from God. The Bible says:
In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way, we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive". (Acts 20:35)
Actually, when you know that you are truly blessed, you can even decide to give more than 10% of your monthly income. That way, you would know how blessed it is to actually give back to the Lord. Remember, how much you give back, you would be returned with a floodgate of blessings. So be prepared for it, and give cheerfully!
Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. (Luke 6:38)
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