Defiled Management

Numbers 18:30–32 (HCSB)

“Tell them further: Once you have presented the best part of the tenth, and it is credited to you Levites as the produce of the threshing floor or the winepress, then you and your household may eat it anywhere. It is your wage in return for your work at the tent of meeting. You will not incur guilt because of it once you have presented the best part of it, but you must not defile the Israelites’ holy offerings, so that you will not die.”

God decreed that the priests were to live off the people’s offerings. The people were to give a tenth, a tithe, to the Lord. They were to bring it to the tabernacle. This was for the priests, for their income. But the priests were also required to tithe. There were to give a tenth of their income to God. The priests were not excluded from giving.

Every preacher should tithe. It is inexcusable for a preacher not to tithe. Any man who makes his living from the ministry must be faithful to give ten percent of his income to God. He should give more, but he must certainly give no less.

I am sick and tired of hearing people give the sorry excuse: “I don’t have to obey the Old Testament—I’m under grace, not the Law!” We are not under the Law to get to heaven, but we are under the Law as a rule for righteous living. I am still under the command not to commit adultery. I am still under the command not to steal. I am still under the command to worship the LORD God only.

But as ministers we are also stewards of the people’s offerings. What the people give is holy. If we misuse it we defile it. We speak of “defiled worship.” What about “defiled management”? The offerings people give to God are holy, and they are to be managed with holy discretion. God give us wisdom to do exactly that! And I think we will be better managers if we are faithful stewards ourselves.