Do you know the benefits of the tithe and giving back? The concept of sharing our blessings is a teaching that we often hear as children. Sadly, we do not practice this very much. As we grow older, we don’t often encounter such generosity from other people either. This is mostly due to financial reasons but also due to having a poverty mindset.
In fact, generosity in the form of a “tithe” or a giving fund should be a habit. The tithe should be part of our monthly budget. Here are some reasons why we should develop and maintain the practice of tithing.
An Attitude of Gratitude
Giving is an opportunity for us to share our blessings. It is an act of giving where we are also able to acknowledge and appreciate our own blessings. Whenever we give off ourselves to others (whether thru our time, money or in kind); we also feel a certain fulfillment. We feel an assurance that the world is not so bleak and gloomy after all.
Giving to another also carries with it a wish, a hope. You can even say that giving back is form of prayer. It is a prayer that things will become better for that person or organization that we intended to help out. In these moments, we also become grateful. We are able to be thankful that our own situation is not worse off. We feel gratitude that we are still capable of giving back. This is one of the benefits of the tithe and giving back.
Paying It Forward
The practice of tithing is a way to give back. We do it in exchange for all the kindness and generosity that other people have shown us in the past. It can also be a form of paying things forward. An advance to give thanks for the generosity and kindness of other people that we will encounter in the future. As you give; it gives the recipient the opportunity to grow. They can develop themselves into someone who can be capable of giving back the same way you did for them.
When you practice tithing, the amount you give helps the recipient to expand their options in their own self-development. When they succeed; they will also become capable of giving back to others the same way that you helped them along the way.
Turning Feelings Into Reality
When you are truly sharing your blessings, it should not be with a heavy heart. Tithing is as simple as giving away a certain amount to a charity, a person in need, or even a tip to a kind waiter. You should do so with a light heart and even a smile. If you can do that, then you are truly helping without expecting anything in return. That is how you act when you feel truly “blessed”.
You know that you attract more of what you focus on. If you feel generous, grateful and blessed; you will continue to attract more opportunities that will make you feel this way. Wouldn’t you want to feel this way most of the time, even all of the time? This will definitely help you get out of a poverty mindset.
These are some of the reasons of why you should have a tithe fund. These are the benefits the tithe and giving back. This is the kind of mindset and attitude you should have when giving. The next question is how much to give. In your monthly budget, it is recommended that you set aside 10% of your income as tithe. You will find this recommendation in the Bible as well.
Your tithe fund is where you get money to tip waiters, the stylist and her assistant at your favorite hair salon, the kind taxi driver, etc. This is also where you can take out cash for gifts or when a relative needs to borrow some cash.
Remember that a tithe is different from an offering. You can consider an offering as something extra aside from the tithe.
Updated. First published on Pinoy Smart Living on 2019.10.22. Feature Image: Original Photo by Katt Yukawa on Unsplash.
Feeling lost in life? Then, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is for you. One of the best-selling books of all time, the Alchemist is about the story of a young shepherd boy, Santiago and his quest to find treasures in the pyramids. The story is more than just your typical fiction stories. It is a philosophical book that will give you a better understanding of what life truly is all about. It is about listening to your heart, chasing your dreams and pursuing your destiny. There are so many powerful and valuable life lessons from The Alchemist that every person should read this book at least once in their life.
Here are 10 Valuable Life Lessons I’ve learned The Alchemist.
1. Life is Continuous Learning
Life is a continuous learning process. We can only grow us a person if we broaden our horizon and discover new things. Santiago knew this. Although a shepherd boy, Santiago loves to read books. He was able to dream of faraway places because he read about them.
Santiago also listens and seeks advice from people who are smarter than him. Throughout his journey, he met people along the way that served as his mentors– the king, the merchant, the Englishman and the alchemist.
Sadly, many people stopped learning after school. That is the reason why they got stuck in life. Others are too proud to ask advice from others. They think they know everything. The moment you think that you know everything is the start of your downfall.
The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.
– Socrates
Santiago also learns from experience. His quest for the treasure was not smooth sailing. He made mistakes along the way but he learned from them.
There are so many valuable lessons to be learned throughout your life’s journey. Master the lesson. If you think that you have the same problem over and over again, that is because you have not learned the lesson yet. This applies in all aspects of your life whether it be your finances, career, health and even your relationships. Learn the lesson from past events, apply it and move on.
2. Always Look at the Bright Side
Santiago always find the good things in a bad situation no matter how big or small it is. Instead of complaining about how he had to carry the weight of his jacket in the heat of the sun, he remembered how that jacket kept him warm during winter nights. Likewise, he could have wallowed in self-pity when he lost everything in Africa; but he chose to change his perspective. Instead of looking at himself as a victim, he looked at himself as an adventurer in a foreign country.
In both cases, notice that both situations can be viewed negatively. But Santiago chose to look at them differently. Instead of of the negative, he looked for the positive. It is all about themindset.
3. Follow your Dreams
Ever since Santiago was a child, he wanted to travel the world. His parents wanted him to become a priest. Rather than adhering to his parents’ wishes, he summoned enough courage to talk to his dad to tell him that he wants to do something else in life. Instead of becoming a priest, Santiago decided to become a shepherd so he can travel.
That’s the problem with most of us. We become victims of other people’s definition of success. We follow a different path because that is what our family and society expected from us. As a result, we lost track of our destiny. What used to be very clear when we were young seems to be impossible when we grow up.
The thing is no matter how successful we become with our chosen path, there will always be a feeling of emptiness. You will never be truly happy if you are not doing your purpose in life. Destiny is what you always want to accomplish. If you feel that something is lacking despite having everything, that is life’s way of telling you that you are not doing what you were born to do.
Follow your passion. Wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure. Pursue your destiny if you don’t want to spend the rest of your life with regret.
4. Give 10 Percent
Giving a tenth of your income to others is a form of gratitude to God for all the blessings that we have received. We have an obligation to share a portion of what we have. The only way for us to receive more blessings is when we learn to give first. Don’t promise to give what you don’t have yet. If it is hard for you to give when you have little, it will be harder to share when you have more. Give 10% of what you have right now.
5. The Simplest Things in Life are the Most Extraordinary
The secret to happiness is to be able to appreciate the beauty of your day to day life. It is seeing the wonders of the world and the beauty of the little things that we normally take for granted like the flowers, the scenery and the people around us.
Take pleasure in the simple things.
Happiness is never about the destination but rather it is about enjoying the journey. Each day matters. Every second counts. Learn to love everyday. Show the people around you how much you care. It’s all about mindfulness.
Towards the end of our life, the simple things like the time we spend with our family is what truly matters. True happinessboils down to the quality of our relationship with others. It is best that you cherish every moment while you still can.
6. Negative Things Happen in Life Because They Prepare our Spirit and our Will
Bad things happen to everyone, even to good people. These things happen not because we are being punished but because they are necessary for our growth. The pain that we experience in our lives actually prepares our spirit and our will in realising our destiny.
The road to the fulfilment of our dreams is never easy. There will be bumps along the way. Sometimes, we will be forced to make detours. We need to make some adjustments but the destination remains the same. The important thing is to keep on going forward. Once we have succeeded in overcoming life’s challenges, we become better persons.
You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever.
– Steve Jobs
The roadblocks that we will encounter are all part of a master plan. They all happened for a reason. It is difficult to understand at the moment but everything will make sense once you have found your treasure.
7. When you Want Something, All the Universe Conspires in Helping you Achieve it
Have you heard of The Secret? The Secret is actually the Law of Attraction. It states that if you really want something and you focus your thoughts on that, the universe will give it to you.
This belief system has been mentioned several times throughout the book, that there is a force out there that guides us. Whether you call it God, the Universe or the Soul of the World; that force is always nearby especially to those who wants to realise their destinies.
We should learn to recognise the omens or the signs and follow them. Sometimes, it appears as a solution or an idea. Sometimes, it presents itself as a direct message from somebody whom you are having a conversation with. Remember, there is no such thing as coincidence. There is a reason why you bumped into an old friend or why you are reading this article right now. We have to listen to what the universe is telling us. We also need to listen inward to our intuition.
In the same way, that if you think that the world is out there to get you, negative things will start happening your way. Thus, you have to be careful of what you think and what you say. In the story, when the monk told the alchemist that his payment goes well beyond his generosity; the alchemist quickly told the monk not to say it because life is listening. What the alchemist meant was that the universe responds to thoughts; thus, the monk might receive less next time.
There were numerous times when Santiago could have just given up, when he lost everything in Africa, when he had enough money to go back to Andalusia after working for the merchant or when he met Fatima in the desert oasis; but still he persevered.
Your treasure can only be uncovered after a series of tests. The closer you get to your dreams, the harder it will become. It takes a lot of courage, patience and persistence to finally be able to achieve your destiny.
9. Success Happens Outside your Comfort Zone
Santiago was already traveling as a shepherd boy but he sold his flock of sheep to go to Africa. After a year in Africa, he already earned enough money to either stay there or to go back to Andalusia but he chose to go to the desert. While in the desert oasis, Santiago had met the love of his life and earned the respect of the community but still, he opted to continue his quest for the treasure.
In all three scenarios, Santiago was already successful and comfortable with his life but he gave them all up to continue his journey and pursue his destiny. Just what do you think would have happened in the story if he decided to stay in his comfort zone. Do you think, he would have found his treasure?
In reality, many people don’t like change or are scared of change. As much as we want to pursue our dreams, we are more scared of disappointment. We are scared that we might lose everything that we have worked for if we are going to start anew. We would rather stay in our comfort zone. This is the reason why people get stuck in life whether it is a bad relationship or a job that they don’t like. Fear is one of the biggest obstacles that is keeping us from achieving our dreams.
10. Everyone has His Own Destiny
If a person is successful in one area, it does not mean that you too will be successful in that same area. It is because each person has his own destiny to fulfil. His way is not the same as yours. So, don’t compare yourself with others.
No matter who we are, everyone has a central role to play in the history of the world. Each one of us is unique. Embrace your uniqueness. As the Englishman said, we all can’t become alchemist, otherwise, gold will lose its value.
Good luck on your journey and I hope you find your treasure!
First published in Pinoy Smart Living on 08.24.2018
Feature Image from Free Image and mbll from Pixabay Images.
Do you want to grow your wealth? Then, the money jar budgeting system is for you. It is a system that helps you control your spending habits yet at the same time lets you grow your future wealth.
Most people dream of winning the lottery. However, did you know that according to several studies, 70% of lottery winners ended up broke within 5 years of winning? Similar studies also showed that the higher the amount of winnings, the higher the probability of getting bankrupt.
Most lottery winners found themselves in even worse financial situation than before they became rich. So, where did it all go wrong? Lottery winners used the money they won to finance a bigger lifestyle. In short, they start to level up and increase their standards of living. They start to squander on depreciating assets such as luxury cars and extravagant vacations. They also start giving away so much money. This phenomenon is what you call a lifestyle creep.
People who started receiving a large amount of money has the tendency to squander on extravagant lifestyle and depreciating assets like luxury cars. Image Credit: LIFESTYLE CREEP
The money budgeting technique described below is actually a modified version of the Money Jar System, which was first introduced by T. Harv Eker, businessman and author of The Secrets of A Millionaire Mind. It is also an expanded version of the Abundance Formula (100=10-20-70) of best-selling author, entrepreneur and preacher Bo Sanchez.
The purpose of a budget system is for you to develop spending habits within your means and at the same time to lead you to future wealth and financial abundance.
It is called the Money Jar system because you can literally start by getting 6 jars and labeling them. In this budgeting technique, you need to divide your earned income into six (6) accounts:
1. Give Account – 10%
As soon as you receive your income, your first expense should go to this account. You probably think that this is insane. Why do you need to give when you have barely enough to cover your expenses?
The purpose of giving is to put God FIRST in your life.
You need to acknowledge the fact that your gifts and talents all came from God. Giving or tithing is your way of saying thank you to God. More blessings will come your way if you learn to share your blessings.
Do not give the excuse that you are going to start giving once your income increases. Giving is a state of mind. If you cannot let go of your 1,000 if you are earning 10,000, you will not be able to let go of your 100,000 if you are already earning 1 million.
Why 10%? Several verses in the Bible talk about giving a tenth of your produce back to God.
Make an offering of 10%, a tithe, of all the produce which grows in your field year after year. – Deuteronomy 14:22
The give account can go to:
Your church or spiritual community
Your favorite charitable organisation
A person in need
As presents to relatives and friends on occasions
2. Financial Freedom Account – 10%
Don’t you just want to wake up one morning wherein there is no need for you to go to work? You work only by choice and not because of necessity. Well, this account is your key. It is your investment account. It is the most important account for the wealthy.
Financial freedom is the ability to live the lifestyle that you desire without having to work or rely on anyone else for money. – T. Harv Eker
Remember the story of the goose that lays the golden eggs? Well, this fund is your goose. Kill this fund and you kill your source of golden eggs. Do not commit the same mistake as the farmer. You shall NEVER EVER EVER spend this account.
If you have debts, use this account to pay off all our debts first before you start investing.
3. Long Term Savings Account – 10%
This account is allotted for long term spending. This fund has the most flexibility because you can use it for anything in the future just in case you need it. It is your rainy day account or your emergency fund. It plays a major role in ensuring your long term financial success. Having money available when you need it can be a life saver.
Sample usage for your Long Term Savings Account:
Down payment for a house or a car
Your dream vacation
Hospital Expense
Tuition Fee Increase
House Repair
Your child’s birthday party
It is highly recommended that you set up a different savings account for this one. Set the account in such a way that it will be hard for you to withdraw money. For example, instead of an ATM account, open a passbook account. You can avail of an automatic save-up account being offered by banks.
4. Education Account – 10%
You are your most valuable asset. You need to invest in yourself for you to grow. The more educated you are, the more career options you have. Read books. Attend seminars. Develop your gifts and talents.
It was said that this is one of the difference between the wealthy and poor. The poor people have big TVs while the rich have big libraries. That is because wealthy people put emphasis on continuous learning. In fact, about 88% of the wealthy read for at least 30 minutes each day for personal growth or for career development as opposed to only 2% of the poor.
Success is something that you attract, by the person you become. – Jim Rohn
5. Play Account – 10%
This will probably be your favorite account – the FUN account. It is an account to spend however you want. Use this fund to pamper yourself. Get a massage. Eat at a plush restaurant. Go to a weekend getaway. Watch a movie or a concert. Buy that latest gadget. You are allowed to shop until you blow this money away. A small indulgence can have a big psychological impact on your money morale.
So, if you want that expensive bag, sports car or luxury vacation, save up for it or increase your income first until it can fit in your 10% budget.
6. Necessities Account – 50%
This account is for your everyday expenses. Included in this account are your bills, electricity, food, rent or mortgage, transportation, utilities, etc. If you cannot survive on 50%, that means you are living beyond your means. That is a clear signal that you need to simplify your lifestyle.
Follow this system and you will find yourself gradually increasing your wealth. It is going to be hard the first few years but it is all worth it.
First published in Pinoy Smart Living on 01.15.2019
