I was introduced to tithing a little over 6 years ago at a church my family and I were attending. The word tithe translates to 1/10th. In the bible, tithing is introduced several times in the old testament Leviticus 27:30 says, “A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord: it is holy to the Lord.” Now, some churches encourage tithing with the idea that 10% of your income, monetary gifts, etc should automatically be given back to God, and in their view, God meant the church.
Now let me stop here and be completely honest, I was never comfortable with this idea, but we went along with it and tithed everything monetary we received. For an entire year with tithed and looking back now, it was out of fear and guilt. Fear that we would be judged by the head of the church because of course, they would know who tithed and who didn’t, and out of guilt because if we didn’t tithe we weren’t true Christians.
Here were my thoughts the entire time we were tithing;
Where does the money go?
Who decides how it’s distributed?
Is it given to non-profits?
Is it distributed between the church staff as income?
Do I tithe before or after taxes?
Where in the new testament does it talk about tithing?
The list literally went on. My husband and I constantly discussed it and often times left church angry because it seemed like every other Sunday the sermon was based around tithing. At some point soon after we switched churches but the idea and frustration around the idea always stayed with me.
When I decided to start The Black Out Co. a little over a year ago I was in the middle of a lot of soul and purpose searching. I wanted to find a way to combine my passions for creativity and learning while honoring the memory of my mother and educating others on mental health and suicide. So, I decided I would start tithing again, but in my own way. As of June 2020, 10% of all profits are automatically given to a non-profit. These are organizations that make an impact in a variety of ways, from providing education and assistance regarding mental health, addiction, and suicide awareness ( To Write Love On Her Arms) to non-profits advocating for children of abuse and neglect (Denver CASA).
Not only are you completely in the know of where 10% of your purchase is going YOU also get to choose how it is distributed. I believe God wants us to give back and what better way than to tithe to his people, especially the ones who are in a little more need. If you or someone you know are struggling please know that it is ok not to be ok and to ask for help. If organizations such as these were more easily accessible and widely talked about my mom just might still be here today.
We are always looking for new organizations that are making an impact and would love for you to reach out with any suggestions on how we can give!
Wishing you all a beautiful week.
Big Hugs,
K.S.
