[Audio not available.]

Is it possible to have too much a good thing?

Too much faith? Hardly.

Too much hope? Never.

Too much love? Impossible.

How about too much money? Is it possible that a person can have so much money that the quality of one’s life begins to erode away?

If it is possible to have too much money, how much money is too much?

Scripture has the answer. No matter how much or how little money we have, whatever amount we have, we always receive 10% more money than is good for us.

From the opening chapters of the Book of Genesis, making an offering to God has been an essential part of the human experience. After the expulsion from the Garden of Eden, Cain and Abel make an offering to the Lord in the form of a sacrifice. Why they make this sacrifice, is not explained. The importance and value of offering the “first fruits” of one’s produce is simply assumed.

In Genesis 14, Abram offers to Melchizedeck, the Priest/King of Salem, an offering of 10%, a tithe of all he owns. No where is it explained why Abram makes this offering. It is simply assumed to be right and proper so to do.

And so it goes throughout the rest of the Bible. People are always giving back to God 10% of “their increase,” or of “the first fruits.” When we come to the New Testament, the offering to God becomes even more radical, even more extreme. We see people giving “all they have” in expression of their gratitude for the abundant blessing of God at work in their lives.

From a biblical point of view it seems that making an offering to God from our material substance is so good for us that the practice needs no explanation. But we can still ask why. Why is making an offering to God so important?

They best answer may be that there is something about money that is, frankly, dangerous. Having money provides so many good things in our lives, that we may begin to believe that having more money will provide every good thing for our lives.

A very subtle spiritual blindness ensues when we begin to believe that money can provide every thing we need. Moneyblindness is a condition so subtle that we may not realize we have become moneyblind until it comes time to make an offering to God of our tithe, 10% of our increase.

Suddenly our chests tighten up. Our hearts begin to pound. Our blood pressure goes up. We feel ourselves becoming resentful and angry at the prophet who would point out that the Lord is the source of all our blessings, and that all that he requires is that we surrender 10% back to him.

This is money-blindness. We have come to believe that money can buy everything. The simple truth is that money can not only buy everything; it can’t buy the most important things of all: Faith, Hope and Love.

Is money a good thing? Absolutely.

it possible to have too much a good thing? It is possible to have too much money. How does one prevent money-blindness from stealing life away?

Practicing the spiritual discipline of the tithe saves you from too much of a good thing. Too much money is always 10% of what you have been given. Return it to the Lord. You will heal your money-blindness. The Lord will restore your life.