The Spiritual Law of Tithing

Day 19

One of the biggest things you can do
to change your circumstances around money is to take
ten percent of what you received and give it away.
This is called the spiritual law of tithing,
and it is the greatest action you can take
to bring more money into your life.


Contrary to what many people think,
tithing is not primarily a biblical principle
and was not originally instigated by Abraham,
although it did originate in the lands he came from,
the civilizations of Sumer and Mesopotamia.

Historically, the peoples of those ancient lands

were considered to be the first civilizations.
Prior to that time, humans had lived as hunter gatherers.
With the coming of the domestication and herding of animals

and the cultivation of crops,
humans began to gather in suitable areas for their activities

and communities developed.
With the development of communities came crafts and trades,
followed by a means of bartering for service and goods.

Bartering was soon replaced by payment using

gold, silver and copper.
With the emergence of cities,

merchants arose to trade between cities.
Each city had a leader or king who

wanted to outdo the king in the next city,
so the people where led to set about building

great citadels with imposing buildings,

temples and palaces within the city walls.

Funds were required for this purpose

and the people gave of their funds,

time and abilities -

some willingly and others as slaves.

The buildings and temples were used by

all the people in the city for

celebrations, feasts, public rites and rituals.

It was in the time of the Sumerians,

as I understand it, that the tithe,

as a 10% of earnings came into being.

The Sumerians had a system of dividing their earnings

into ten parts.

One part was set aside as a savings,

one part was given to the king,

one part was given to the resident priest/priestess

of the god/goddess

and the remaining 70% was used

to provide a home, clothes to wear,

food to eat, investments in businesses,

and if there was any extra,

to spend on pleasure or enjoyment.

There were exceptions to this.

If a man was in debt,

he could be excused the payment to the

king and the priesthood,

provided that that money was

then used to pay off his debts.
While he paid off his debts he was excluded from

feasts and celebrations of the community.
If he was able to pay off his debts within a suitable time

he could then resume his place in the community.
If he needed more money to settle his debts

in a more timely manner,

he could take a loan from the king,

or even sell members of his family into slavery

for a period of no longer than three years.

Now you might think, "What has this to do with tithing?"
Tithing was giving that 10% of earnings.

This was done at each full moon.
Today the gift to the king and to the priesthood would be called

taxes and tithes.
However there is the matter of the first 10% to consider.
This is the first tithe and it is tantamount to paying

YOURSELF!

It is a spiriual payment by a physical means;

it is taking from the physical and returning to spirit

a portion of what you have received from spirit.
What ever you earn you should pay yourself first.
However,
this tithe is not one to be spent on

any of the things considered previously -

home, food, clothes, entertainment,

that is the physical necessities of life-
it is to be used only to feed the spirit.
So here comes what it has become today.
We give to our church, synagogue, mosque, temple etc,
or we invest in a person who feeds us spiritually,

like a spiritual leader or mentor.
This investment can be made by contributions or purchases,
provided that the purchases ultimately feed the spirit.

The benefit of this tithe is that in feeding the spirit,
ultimately this nourishment leads to

an attraction of wealth into our lives
over and above the fruit of our labours.

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