Tithing

Tithing.  The practice of giving away one-tenth of one's income.  Some people say it must be given to the church or a religious organization.  Others think it can be given to any charitable cause. Some debate whether the ten percent is before tax or after tax or even if the tax is part of the ten percent. 

For a very long time, I "religiously" gave away my ten percent.  I fall in the camp of any charitable cause.  On the last time my client and I were together during an intentional living intensive before the client went home, we would talk about my tithe.  I always shared half of it with a charity of my client's choosing.  That was a rich experience.  My dollars went off to many wonderful causes that I would never have known about otherwise.  During the summer when many North Carolinians were thrown from their homes by Hurricane Floyd, I explained my sharing approach, and then I would ask if they minded if both halves went to the storm victims.  They always said "yes."

When I first moved to North Carolina from Oregon, one of the first things I did was research potential local recipients because I felt it was important for me to know where my tithes would go before I started earning money in my new home state.   In recent years, giving has been an important part of my budget, but I've never had enough that I felt I could make a full tithe.  Whenever I received a bonus or a tax refund, a large part of it went to making up some of the gap. 

When I was in the fifth grade, my teacher had us write a paper about what we would do with a million dollars.  Most of my classmates wrote about what they'd get for themselves.  I wrote about the good work I would do in the world with it.  Perhaps that is the result of a firm spiritual foundation early in my life.  I was taught to tithe, even when I received a dime for an allowance; I would give a penny to my church. There is something about seeding my money to worthy causes that makes me feel complete. I truly am happier giving than receiving.

This pay period I received a promotion.  For the first time in five years, I have the flexibility to actually choose where I spend rather than trying to figure out how I will be able to pay the bills.  My financial planner says it should all go to my meager retirement fund, and some will.  However, in my heart of hearts, I know that much of it needs to go to causes I feel strongly about.    I am excited about being able to choose who I will share with, not that what I am able to give will make any meaningful difference to those organizations.  Inside me, there is a 3 or 4-year-old taking a penny of her 10-cent allowance to give away...and feeling almost giddy about doing so.

A friend of mine once was angry because she felt her father supported worthy causes because it made him feel good rather than just doing good.  Frankly, I think it is wonderful to feel good about doing good. 

Generally, I've identified several causes that were aligned with my goals for giving, and then I have given an equal amount each month. Yet as I write this, what is coming to me that rather than being thoughtful about my new giving, this time I should be more prayerful about it.  My guidance is that each pay period, I should sit and pray about where to send the money.  I like the idea, and I am guessing that it will end up going places I couldn't have anticipated...and once again, I am feeling almost giddy about it.  I have no apologies about feeling good about doing good with my money.