I’ve been asked to give a talk based on the talk entitled “The Lord’s Richest Blessings” given by Carl B Pratt of the seventy in April General Conference earlier this year. I find it interesting to give talks or lessons on talks of leaders in the church because most of the time I feel it would be difficult for me to ever provide a better discourse than the one I am reading. I’m tempted to just read the talk, as it most likely comes from a man much more wise than me and with a better understanding of the concepts than I probably have. It also reminds me of a time we lived in Hong Kong a few years ago. Our branch in Hong Kong, which happened to be larger than our ward here, was home to the Area Presidency. During weeks where they were not traveling, they would attend our meetings - and it was always a privilege to get the insight of general authorities during Sunday School and Priesthood. One priesthood meeting a young family man stood up to give the lesson. He looked nervous and concerned and started out saying, “I find it extremely difficult to give this lesson based on a talk from the last general conference, especially since the person who gave this talk is sitting here on the front row. Maybe it would be best if he gave this lesson.” Fortunately for me, Brother Pratt is not in attendance.
The talk by Brother Pratt is about the Lord’s richest blessings, which refers to a promise made in Malachi to those who pay their tithing. Malachi 3:10 states:
10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
Tithing, most of us are aware, refers to a contribution we make to the church. The word “tithe” is the old english word for tenth, and usually refers to paying one-tenth of our income to the church. Tithing is nothing new. Tithing is mentioned in the Old Testament and the New Testament. And the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is not the only church that preaches tithing. Many Christian churches also practice the law of tithing and even in Islam there was a historical payment of one-tenth of their income, which they called “ushar”.
Malachi points out the blessings of paying your tithing. It is quite a promise to receive a blessing “that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” What are these blessings? Why do we pay tithing? These are elements of Brother Pratt’s talk.
In his talk, Brother Pratt tells the story of his grandparents who lived in the community of Colonia Juarez in Mexico. He goes on to tell:
“One day toward the end of summer, Grandpa John came home, having completed a trade and having received as part of the deal 100 pesos in silver coins. He gave the money to Ida (his wife) with instructions it was to be used to cover the upcoming school expenses of the children.
Ida was grateful for the money but reminded John that they had not paid any tithing all summer long. They had had no cash income, but Ida reminded him that the animals had provided meat, eggs, and milk. Their garden had provided an abundance of fruits and vegetables, and they had made other trades for goods not involving cash. Ida suggested they should give the money to the bishop to cover their tithing.
John was a little disappointed, as the cash would have helped a great deal toward the children’s schooling, but he readily agreed they needed to pay their tithing. He carried the heavy bag to the tithing office and settled with the bishop.”
A short time later his grandpa was given the opportunity to help out on an expedition for a business man that came down from the United States. He had been paid upfront and after the expedition returned the extra amount of cash to the visitor after taking out his expenses. The man was surprised there was money left over and decided to give the additional amount to Grandpa John. Later that evening he opened the bag of silver pesos and counted them. It came out to exactly 100 pesos, the same amount he had paid in tithing.
This was a testimony to his grandfather and the story was passed down as a testimony-building account of paying tithing.
He goes on to say “We learn from my Whetten grandparents that tithing is not a matter of money, really; it is a matter of faith—faith in the Lord. He promises blessings if we obey His commandments. Clearly, John and Ida Whetten showed great faith in paying their tithing. Let us show our faith in the Lord by paying our tithing. Pay it first; pay it honestly. Teach our children to pay tithing even on their allowance or other income, and then take them with us to tithing settlement so they know of our example and our love for the Lord.”
As I read this talk it reminded me of one of my missionary experiences in Brazil. I had been raised by goodly parents who paid their tithing and taught me to pay it from the time I was a child. It was something that seemed normal. But as I grew older and met people who had never paid tithing, I learned that this can be a difficult commandment. One of my first discussions in Brazil was with a family with little money. As we discussed the law of tithing - or “a lei de dizimo” - you could see the concern in their eyes. They were accustomed to giving some money on the plate each Sunday at church, but to pay 10% of their income to a church? That seemed outrageous.
We discussed how tithing was not used to make the Bishop rich or to pay for elaborate church buildings (though our temples are beautiful, our church buildings are humble compared to many other places of worship). It is used for things like providing meeting places, building temples where members can receive important ordinances, and in areas like helping the missionary program and family history. This was helpful as many people are concerned their money goes into the nice Lexus driven by the preacher. But 10% was still difficult.
This is what I think Brother Pratt meant when he said it is more a test of faith. Money is something that our society focuses so much on. So much of who we are seems dependent upon how much money we make and what we use it to buy. I think tithing helps remind us that all that we have we have received from Him.
In Ecclesiastes 5:19 it is written: “Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.”
Money is very relative. Let’s look at a few numbers. Being an engineer, I love to work with data, so I apologize to those who didn’t expect to come today to think about some math.
We currently live in Arizona where the per capita personal income (this in essence is like an average) is around $30,000. That would mean the average Arizonan would pay around $3,000 per year in tithing. That is a pretty good chunk of change. A person could buy a lot with that money. And thus it seems a sacrifice. But let’s look at Brazil, where I served my mission. The per capita personal income is about $5,000 per year. In China, the country that people say will be the world leader in the next 50 years? $3,000. That’s about what an average person in Arizona pays in tithing! I think sometimes we forget the blessings we have and think of the things we may be giving up by paying tithing. In fact, no country has a higher “per capita personal income” than the United States, and the next country below is is almost 25% lower. We are a blessed people.
Over the past few years there have been numerous studies about happiness. What makes a person happy? It is difficult to measure as we may all have different definitions of happiness. But one thing that has stood out in many of these studies is that more money does not correlate with more happiness. I think this is something many of us have heard since we were kids. But how many of us really believe it? I believe that if we do a better job recognizing that money isn’t what will bring us joy, paying our tithing will be much easier.
Brother Pratt is quick to point out that we often make in incorrect conclusion on what the blessings of paying tithing are. He states:
“There is a possibility of misinterpretation in this story from my grandparents. We might conclude that since we pay tithing with money, the Lord will always bless us with money. I tended to think that way as a child. I have since learned it doesn’t necessarily work that way. The Lord promises blessings to those who pay their tithing. He promises to “open … the windows of heaven, and pour … out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10). I testify that He fulfills His promises, and if we faithfully pay our tithing, we will not lack for the necessities of life, but He does not promise wealth. Money and bank accounts are not His richest blessings. He blesses us with wisdom to manage our limited material resources, wisdom that enables us to live better with 90 percent of our income than with 100 percent. Thus, faithful tithe payers understand provident living and tend to be more self-reliant.
I have come to understand that the Lord’s richest blessings are spiritual, and they often have to do with family, friends, and the gospel. He often seems to give the blessing of a special sensitivity to the influence and guidance of the Holy Spirit, especially in marriage and family matters like raising children. Such spiritual sensitivity can help us enjoy the blessings of harmony and peace in the home. President James E. Faust suggested that the payment of tithing is “an excellent insurance against divorce”.
Indeed, these are the great blessings in life! How many of us need additional guidance on how to raise families? In a world full of divorce and broken homes, what greater blessing can we seek than to get an insurance against divorce? Add this to the blessing revealed to Joseph Smith in the Doctrine and Covenants in section 64 where he states:
23 Behold, now it is called today until the coming of the Son of Man, and verily it is a day of sacrifice, and a day for the tithing of my people; for he that is tithed shall not be burned at his coming.
Due to this revelation, many people refer to tithing as “fire insurance”. So we see that tithing will bring us the Lord’s richest blessings, including fire and divorce insurance.
I testify that by paying tithing, God does bless his children. I have seen these blessings in my own life and in the life of my family and friends.
Years ago a good friend of mine was struggling economically as he had recently gotten divorced. He hadn’t paid tithing for years and as he was trying hard to come back to the path of the gospel, he didn’t see how he could possibly pay his tithing. He was living paycheck to paycheck and still increasing his debt each month. In the end he decided to put this promise to test, or as God has stated, “prove men now”. He paid his tithing that week. The next week we met to play basketball and he was excited. He told me that he had been called into his boss’ office that day and for now apparent reason was offered a 10% pay raise.
Like the story that brother Pratt told, this was something that strengthened his testimony - and confirmed my own.
God loves us. As our Father he wants to bless us. I know that if we obey his commandments He will bless us. We only need to do what he asks and he will open the windows of heaven. By paying our tithing we will receive the Lord’s Richest Blessings. This does not mean we will all become millionaires or lottery winners. But it does mean we will be blessed with the things God knows we need. I testify that God has given us all that we have: our talents, our lives, our ability to make money and provide for our families. It is our duty to give back a portion of those blessings.
I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
The talk by Brother Pratt is about the Lord’s richest blessings, which refers to a promise made in Malachi to those who pay their tithing. Malachi 3:10 states:
10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
Tithing, most of us are aware, refers to a contribution we make to the church. The word “tithe” is the old english word for tenth, and usually refers to paying one-tenth of our income to the church. Tithing is nothing new. Tithing is mentioned in the Old Testament and the New Testament. And the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is not the only church that preaches tithing. Many Christian churches also practice the law of tithing and even in Islam there was a historical payment of one-tenth of their income, which they called “ushar”.
Malachi points out the blessings of paying your tithing. It is quite a promise to receive a blessing “that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” What are these blessings? Why do we pay tithing? These are elements of Brother Pratt’s talk.
In his talk, Brother Pratt tells the story of his grandparents who lived in the community of Colonia Juarez in Mexico. He goes on to tell:
“One day toward the end of summer, Grandpa John came home, having completed a trade and having received as part of the deal 100 pesos in silver coins. He gave the money to Ida (his wife) with instructions it was to be used to cover the upcoming school expenses of the children.
Ida was grateful for the money but reminded John that they had not paid any tithing all summer long. They had had no cash income, but Ida reminded him that the animals had provided meat, eggs, and milk. Their garden had provided an abundance of fruits and vegetables, and they had made other trades for goods not involving cash. Ida suggested they should give the money to the bishop to cover their tithing.
John was a little disappointed, as the cash would have helped a great deal toward the children’s schooling, but he readily agreed they needed to pay their tithing. He carried the heavy bag to the tithing office and settled with the bishop.”
A short time later his grandpa was given the opportunity to help out on an expedition for a business man that came down from the United States. He had been paid upfront and after the expedition returned the extra amount of cash to the visitor after taking out his expenses. The man was surprised there was money left over and decided to give the additional amount to Grandpa John. Later that evening he opened the bag of silver pesos and counted them. It came out to exactly 100 pesos, the same amount he had paid in tithing.
This was a testimony to his grandfather and the story was passed down as a testimony-building account of paying tithing.
He goes on to say “We learn from my Whetten grandparents that tithing is not a matter of money, really; it is a matter of faith—faith in the Lord. He promises blessings if we obey His commandments. Clearly, John and Ida Whetten showed great faith in paying their tithing. Let us show our faith in the Lord by paying our tithing. Pay it first; pay it honestly. Teach our children to pay tithing even on their allowance or other income, and then take them with us to tithing settlement so they know of our example and our love for the Lord.”
As I read this talk it reminded me of one of my missionary experiences in Brazil. I had been raised by goodly parents who paid their tithing and taught me to pay it from the time I was a child. It was something that seemed normal. But as I grew older and met people who had never paid tithing, I learned that this can be a difficult commandment. One of my first discussions in Brazil was with a family with little money. As we discussed the law of tithing - or “a lei de dizimo” - you could see the concern in their eyes. They were accustomed to giving some money on the plate each Sunday at church, but to pay 10% of their income to a church? That seemed outrageous.
We discussed how tithing was not used to make the Bishop rich or to pay for elaborate church buildings (though our temples are beautiful, our church buildings are humble compared to many other places of worship). It is used for things like providing meeting places, building temples where members can receive important ordinances, and in areas like helping the missionary program and family history. This was helpful as many people are concerned their money goes into the nice Lexus driven by the preacher. But 10% was still difficult.
This is what I think Brother Pratt meant when he said it is more a test of faith. Money is something that our society focuses so much on. So much of who we are seems dependent upon how much money we make and what we use it to buy. I think tithing helps remind us that all that we have we have received from Him.
In Ecclesiastes 5:19 it is written: “Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.”
Money is very relative. Let’s look at a few numbers. Being an engineer, I love to work with data, so I apologize to those who didn’t expect to come today to think about some math.
We currently live in Arizona where the per capita personal income (this in essence is like an average) is around $30,000. That would mean the average Arizonan would pay around $3,000 per year in tithing. That is a pretty good chunk of change. A person could buy a lot with that money. And thus it seems a sacrifice. But let’s look at Brazil, where I served my mission. The per capita personal income is about $5,000 per year. In China, the country that people say will be the world leader in the next 50 years? $3,000. That’s about what an average person in Arizona pays in tithing! I think sometimes we forget the blessings we have and think of the things we may be giving up by paying tithing. In fact, no country has a higher “per capita personal income” than the United States, and the next country below is is almost 25% lower. We are a blessed people.
Over the past few years there have been numerous studies about happiness. What makes a person happy? It is difficult to measure as we may all have different definitions of happiness. But one thing that has stood out in many of these studies is that more money does not correlate with more happiness. I think this is something many of us have heard since we were kids. But how many of us really believe it? I believe that if we do a better job recognizing that money isn’t what will bring us joy, paying our tithing will be much easier.
Brother Pratt is quick to point out that we often make in incorrect conclusion on what the blessings of paying tithing are. He states:
“There is a possibility of misinterpretation in this story from my grandparents. We might conclude that since we pay tithing with money, the Lord will always bless us with money. I tended to think that way as a child. I have since learned it doesn’t necessarily work that way. The Lord promises blessings to those who pay their tithing. He promises to “open … the windows of heaven, and pour … out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10). I testify that He fulfills His promises, and if we faithfully pay our tithing, we will not lack for the necessities of life, but He does not promise wealth. Money and bank accounts are not His richest blessings. He blesses us with wisdom to manage our limited material resources, wisdom that enables us to live better with 90 percent of our income than with 100 percent. Thus, faithful tithe payers understand provident living and tend to be more self-reliant.
I have come to understand that the Lord’s richest blessings are spiritual, and they often have to do with family, friends, and the gospel. He often seems to give the blessing of a special sensitivity to the influence and guidance of the Holy Spirit, especially in marriage and family matters like raising children. Such spiritual sensitivity can help us enjoy the blessings of harmony and peace in the home. President James E. Faust suggested that the payment of tithing is “an excellent insurance against divorce”.
Indeed, these are the great blessings in life! How many of us need additional guidance on how to raise families? In a world full of divorce and broken homes, what greater blessing can we seek than to get an insurance against divorce? Add this to the blessing revealed to Joseph Smith in the Doctrine and Covenants in section 64 where he states:
23 Behold, now it is called today until the coming of the Son of Man, and verily it is a day of sacrifice, and a day for the tithing of my people; for he that is tithed shall not be burned at his coming.
Due to this revelation, many people refer to tithing as “fire insurance”. So we see that tithing will bring us the Lord’s richest blessings, including fire and divorce insurance.
I testify that by paying tithing, God does bless his children. I have seen these blessings in my own life and in the life of my family and friends.
Years ago a good friend of mine was struggling economically as he had recently gotten divorced. He hadn’t paid tithing for years and as he was trying hard to come back to the path of the gospel, he didn’t see how he could possibly pay his tithing. He was living paycheck to paycheck and still increasing his debt each month. In the end he decided to put this promise to test, or as God has stated, “prove men now”. He paid his tithing that week. The next week we met to play basketball and he was excited. He told me that he had been called into his boss’ office that day and for now apparent reason was offered a 10% pay raise.
Like the story that brother Pratt told, this was something that strengthened his testimony - and confirmed my own.
God loves us. As our Father he wants to bless us. I know that if we obey his commandments He will bless us. We only need to do what he asks and he will open the windows of heaven. By paying our tithing we will receive the Lord’s Richest Blessings. This does not mean we will all become millionaires or lottery winners. But it does mean we will be blessed with the things God knows we need. I testify that God has given us all that we have: our talents, our lives, our ability to make money and provide for our families. It is our duty to give back a portion of those blessings.
I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Great talk Bret! I esp liked how you added the facts and numbers to help make the point that money is relative. I have 3 personal tithing stories I should add someday, so you guys can remember them. Truly the windows of heaven have been opened to me!
ReplyDelete