“The Uses Of The Tithe” [Reflections On Charles H. Parkhurst (ed) Portraits And Principles of The World's Great Men And Women, N.Y. : Springfield:The King-Richardson Co. 1899 - #89/100]
I’ve got big problems with this piece –
Much better, “If you’d find release
From many items in your sack,
Give ‘Ten percent” for things you lack.”What does this mean? In Scripture’s page?
A host of uses flow from Sage
To readers down through ages here –
What blessings flowed and there appeared:“Take ten percent of all you get
To try things out – from gifts to bets,
To festive parties for all folks,
To Jubilee to free from yokes”.The Talmud says the Jews first saw
That separation (task that’s raw,
From just reward or recompense),
Enables life from that time hence.Big Bobby picked encouragement
As blessings Scripture writer meant
When he said toss your cash out first –
Works like a winch – tied to your purse.So freedom from a bog-hole mess
Is simple – give, and nothing less
Then slinky-like, you’ll follow there;
Thus, tithes-thing works to life repair.In Scripture, folks get serious;
God said – “Chill out; your life’s a mess –
Take ten percent and have a bash,
With life, and joy, and cheerfulness.Lord, You said, “Giving kicks right back,
So try it out – big ten at that,
And You will change Your flow from then
’Till passing-time – good use for ten.“Seed planted grows abundantly”,
You stated quite instructively;
“Use ten to see it, if you would,
No other way it’s understood.”The story of the “Widow’s mite”
Reminds us, if we’d see the light,
To look beneath the surface sham
To notice heart of great “I am”.But this guy’s rhetoric is sick –
A start, perhaps, but it turns quick
Into perverseness (“Give to get”),
Which warps the soul – which then is set.Lord thanks for giver-finance types,
Who on our context shed their light,
And those who pass it on, all-be-
It warped – their steps lead on to Thee.Thanks Lord for this.
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