Chapter The Practice of Tithing

Generosity as a spiritual discipline

Sarah: I've been thinking a lot about tithing lately. It's always been this thing I kind of do, you know? Just part of the routine. But I've never really stopped to think about it deeply.

Liam: I hear you. It's easy to fall into the habit, to just do what we're supposed to do, without really asking why. Maybe that's how we get stuck in a rut sometimes.

Sarah: But maybe it's also how we find comfort. There's a certain peace in knowing you're doing the "right thing."

Liam: Maybe. But sometimes that peace feels a little...hollow. Like we're following a set of rules, not really connecting with the heart of the matter.

Sarah: You're making me think. What is the "heart of the matter?" What's the real reason we give?

Liam: I think it's about generosity. But not just any kind of generosity. It's a generosity that flows from a place of gratitude, a deep recognition that everything we have is a gift. We didn't create this world, we didn't create ourselves, we didn't create the good things in our lives. It's all a gift.

Sarah: That's beautiful. Like...it's not about our own power, but about acknowledging the power that created us and sustains us.

Liam: Exactly. And from that place of gratitude, we are invited to share what we have been given. Not out of obligation or duty, but from a heart overflowing with thanks.

A seed tucked in the earth, a whispered prayer, A cup of water shared, a hand held with care. The sun's warm embrace, the moon's gentle light, A tapestry woven of day and of night.

Sarah: That's a lovely way to think about it. It's not about how much we give, but about the spirit behind it.

Liam: It's about acknowledging that we're all connected. We're all part of something bigger than ourselves, and our generosity is a way of participating in that larger story.

A drop in the ocean, a ripple in the stream, Tiny kindnesses woven into the grand scheme. A heartbeat, a breath, a whisper in the breeze, The world's symphony carried on the branches of trees.

Sarah: It's like...we're returning something that was never ours to begin with.

Liam: Precisely! We're returning gratitude for the gift of life. We're returning love for the love that sustains us. We're returning the blessings we've received to the source from which they came.

Sarah: I think I understand now. It's not about tithing, it's about living a life of generosity.

Liam: Yes, a life where generosity is not just a practice, but a way of being. Where we see the world as overflowing with gifts and find joy in sharing.

Sarah: But...how do we even begin to do that? It seems like such a huge thing to embrace.

Liam: We start small. We start with the people closest to us. We start with simple acts of kindness. And as we grow in our understanding of generosity, we will find ourselves reaching out further, embracing a wider circle of giving.

Sarah: Thank you for sharing this with me. It's given me a whole new perspective.

Liam: The journey of generosity is a lifelong one. Let's travel it together, shall we?

Sarah: I'd like that.

Liam: What if, instead of asking ourselves what percentage of our income should be given, we asked ourselves: How can I live a life that reflects the abundance I have received? How can I share the gifts I have been given, not out of obligation, but out of love? What would it look like to live as a conduit of generosity, to become a channel through which the love of the world flows?

Sarah: These are good questions to ponder.

Liam: Maybe they're the questions that will lead us to a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us.