Fields of Gold

Last Sunday our teacher shared with us from Andy Stanley's book, Fields of Gold. He used an illustration that made me somewhat uneasy. Let me explain.

In the book Andy Stanley talks about a couple who found themselves in debt; two car loans, student loans, mortgage and $20K credit card debt and they also discovered that the wife was pregnant and her job was being phased out. They were told to consider tithing and they didn't know if they could but decided to any way. They found out that the wife got a settlement from her company for $35K and that the husband got promoted to a much higher paying position that included the use of a company car. The implication was, though not directly, that it was the result of the couple making a decision to tithe.

So what is my problem? Don't I consider tithing important? Isn't God capable of doing this? The answer to the last two questions is a definite "yes". So then what is the answer to my problem? Or should I even have a problem?

The teacher is using four different books for his lesson and I cannot see Randy Alcorn, John Piper or David Platt using this illustration the way Andy Stanley used it. When we use an illustration it should not be open to the wrong interpretation and I think that this illustration flies in the face of David Platt's radically changed lifestyle approach, Randy Alcorn's eternity in view approach or John Piper's wasting your life approach.

Now to be fair to Andy Stanley and the couple they did look at involment in missions and they did put God first in the finances (or so they said).

There is no indication in the illustration that their lifestyle changed. What got them in the mess in the first place seemed to continue on in their lives. Unless we believe that it was their lack of giving to the Lord the problem. I don't think it was but rather it was what David Platt calls "living the American dream".

So let me run a couple of things by you. What would have happened if they did not decide to tithe? They may still of recieved the settlement and been promoted. Is it fair to say that it was the result of their tithing? I am not sure but I have to ask. What would have happened if they had to sell one of their cars, sell their house and move into something smaller because they didn't receive the settlement or the promotion? How would that have affected their decision? We are called to be faithful stewards with what God has given us even when the results of our decision goes against us.

But my biggest problem is that this illustration may lead us to the wrong conclusion. We may think that if we tithe God is obligated to reward us. That is not true. Too many times our teacher has reminded us that we do not give to get but we do get to give.

Those are just my thoughts and I would be delighted to hear from you whether you agree or disagree with me. If I am off base let me know. Remember I am not critising Stanley's book or even his illustration except that it is left open to what I consider the wrong intrepretation.

Just venting.