Time Tithe

Own It!

Just got my letter from Pastor David asking for a financial push to finish the year and complete the works that Long Hollow has started this year.  It’s amazing to me what can be done for God when we tithe.  While I appreciate the fact that we are called to tithe financially, it has always amazed me that no one seems to think that tithing just might apply to our time.  I’ve broken it down mathematically for you:

There are 168 hours in a week.  We average working 40 hours a week and if you’re one of those lucky ones who get 8 hours of sleep a night, that’s another 56 hours.

168

less work        -40

less sleep        -56

Balance         72 hours left each week

Now let’s assume you gave God 10% of your time each week.  That would come to 16.8 hours a week or 2.4 hours per day.  (Have you figured out I was a math major?)

72 hours

less “tithe hours”     -16.8

Balance                    55.2

This would still leave you 55.2 hours a week or 7.89 hours per day.  That’s almost 8 hours per day to eat, go to the gym, go to the movies, sit in front of the TV, or enjoy time with your family.  Compare that 55.2 hours per week of free time to the 16.8 hours that is all God is asking you to give.  Seems kind of pathetic, doesn’t it?  I realize that we are all busy – kids have ballgames, lessons, and homework.  We have to cook and clean but c’mon ladies, we’re multi-taskers.  When’s the last time you talked to someone about Jesus while you were sitting at ball practice?  Do you know if your hairdresser is a Christian?

We have a new saying at Long Hollow Springfield – “I’m Going To Own This”.  What does that mean?  It’s quite simple.  Instead of talking about things that need to be done, we’re going to step up, take charge, and make sure things actually get done – we’re going to OWN a work for God.  Can you imagine what could possibly be done if we all tithed our time and owned a need in our community?  On the Springfield campus alone, I know we need volunteers to work with children and preschoolers, we need people to help set up and tear down each week, we need smiling faces on Sunday morning greeting people who walk through the door, we need people to invest their time mentoring new Christians, we need people willing to start new projects to reach the community throughout the week.  I know our campus is not the only one who needs people to contribute their time.  Ecclesiastes 3:1 says “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens?”  Are you giving God enough of your time?

Acts 20:35
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.’”

Carol