Tithing is an act of worship. We’re giving back to God. We’re saying, “Here is a small portion of my blessing. You deserve far more. And all of it, everything I have, came from you.” God wants you to recognize that every good thing you have—every provision—is a gift from him. He wants you to put him first in your life so you can learn to be generous and then watch what he does—in your life and in the people around you.

You may think you can’t afford to tithe. You may think it’s too much to “give away” 10 percent of what you’re given. But the reality is, you can’t afford not to do it.

There is a universal law called the principle of sowing and reaping. If I sow criticism, I’m going to reap criticism. If I sow generosity, it’s going to come back to me, and I’m going to reap generosity.

Every farmer knows this. If a farmer has four sacks of seed in his barn, and he looks at his empty field, he doesn’t complain, “There’s no crop! I wish there was a crop!” He just goes out and starts planting seed. When you have a need, plant a seed.

It seems illogical that when I have a need, I should give. That’s why it requires faith. God says, “My ways are not your ways. But you can trust my ways.”

Why did God set it up that way? Because God is a giver. He is the most generous giver in the universe, and he wants you to learn to be like him.

This is why you’re here: to become more like Christ. Follow God’s example in your giving, and he will build his character in you.