Did you know that tithing is never mentioned in New Testament.  We really don't like to talk about money anyway.  But it was a law for the Israelites in the Old Testament and the rules were clear.  When you brought all your cattle, sheep, goats, etc… they were herded through a gate and the tenth animal was the Lord's.  If you tried to arrange them so that the weak and old animal was the tenth, then  that animal and the one that should have been next in line were both taken.  Cheating is never right.

The Israelites had twelve tribes.  The Levitical tribe were priests.  They owned no land or cattle.  They were scattered among the other eleven  tribes to care for the needs of the people.  The tithe allowed them to do this and also maintain the places of worship.

In the New Testament, the best lesson on giving occurs when Christ was watching people bring their gifts to the temple.

 Mark 12: 41-42,  "And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money…and many that were rich cast in much.  And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing." Verse 45, "For they all cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living."

The point of it all is that we are to have generous hearts.  During this tornado season, people have been amazed at the generosity of the people of Oklahoma.  Everybody gives.  A very large group of Oklahoma Baptist men, not clergy,  always arrive immediately, usually the same day, when we have a disaster here.  They use their vacation days and their own resources to do this.  You may have seen them on CNN during the Moore tornado.

When we had an ice storm a few years ago, dozens of them showed up where I live with chain saws and trucks,  asking where we needed help.  They took down trees and broken limbs, loaded it all up and took it away.   Not just Baptists.  All of the Oklahoma churches play a huge role in disaster relief.   It's just something People here have always done.  When people need something,  God  expects us to help.  But it isn't a law.  It's a blessing.