Tithe-Exempt?

There’s only so much of you and your income to go around. Your life decisions are often a balancing act of your emotional energy, your money and your time.

If you’re among the 10 million single moms or the 2 million single dads trying to raise a family on their own, it’s likely that you, too, face times when money is tight. The U.S. Census Bureau says 32 percent of single-mother households and 16 percent of single-father households have incomes below the poverty level.

Even if your income is higher, you may still have to deal with financial struggles. So with the challenges you face, should you, as a single parent, maintain a regular habit of giving to God’s work? And, if you do give regularly, what should the amount be?

God and you

The tithe (a 10th of our income) is the minimum percentage for giving listed in the Old Testament. We find it in the first book of the Bible, in the account of Abraham’s tithe to the priest Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18-20)—430 years before the tithing requirements of the Mosaic Law. No one can argue that the tithe applied only to the Jews.

If you’re struggling with the question of how much to give, I encourage you first to give yourself completely to the Lord. Then earnestly seek His will for you concerning giving, and ask Him to help you obey Christ’s leading. Tithing, like salvation, is a personal matter between you and God.

Have a plan

I’m convinced that we should tithe as a minimum and then give over the tithe as the Lord prospers or directs us. It’s a goal worth pursuing, and you can improve your chances of reaching this goal by developing a family-spending plan.

A spending plan will give you a clear picture of your income and expenses and show you what you need to get by. How might such a plan look for someone who’s a single parent? I recommend that you spend no more than 40 percent of your income on housing and housing-related costs. I also recommend 15 percent for auto-related expenses, 15 percent for food, 5 percent for clothing and so on. (Visit crown.org for more information.)

A good investment

It may seem impossible to make tithing a part of your life, but remember that God is not bound by your circumstances. Instead, tithing is a matter of trust in the Lord, who has a vast storehouse from which to meet your needs. “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Psalm 24:1).

Each time you give, it’s like a deposit in the “bank of heaven.” That doesn’t mean you can buy or work your way into heaven, and it doesn’t mean God needs your money. But everything you invest into His kingdom on this earth pays eternal dividends.

As a Christian, you are a citizen of heaven (Philippians 3:20). So in all matters—including giving—I urge you never to become too comfortable in this world. Peter wrote, “Live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear” (1 Peter 1:17). We must view the next world through faith and see earthly possessions for what they are—useful for kingdom purposes but too inconsequential to bear the weight of our trust.

A step of faith

If you’re frustrated by the small amount you’re able to give, realize that God is aware of your giving and will reward it, just as Christ acknowledged the widow’s mite (Mark 12:41-44).

Whatever giving you do, I encourage you to follow God’s example and give in love (John 3:16). Because God loved, He gave. He set the example of giving motivated by love. May all of us, whether we give much or little, do the same.