Who Gets Your Tithe?

A hushed question on many congregants lips is: am I paying my tithe to the Lord, or am I just paying the pastor's salary? This valid question is one of those crossroads where spiritual principles run into practical reality and some squirm in their seats when they would prefer tithing to be primarily a spiritual exercise. The answer to this conundrum is found in a book you wouldn't necessarily choose as your first source of wisdom. In Leviticus, the first few chapters deal extensively with the rites for presenting and executing the different offerings required or recommended of the Israelites. The act of giving an offering was a spiritual exercise with a spiritual result. However, these chapters deal very extensively with the set of freedoms given to the Levites in consuming the offerings for personal benefit. When we tithe our income in the same way the Israelites made their offerings, our ministers are thus given similar freedom, within reasonable limits, to consume that tithe.