His

Some of you may already know that I recently work part time in a restaurant --while trying to look for a full-time job. Unlike my previous working experiences, this part time job gives me a weekly pay instead of a monthly pay.

I used to give my first pay as an offering for honoring God. I did exactly that with my first week salary. The next week, I got extra hours at work and that week salary doubled. I got back what I gave out to God. God really does not owe us anything. On the other hand, he always tests our obedience.

That was the first test. The second test was about tithing. Since my last internship on August 2012, I had not earned anything aside from my parents' pocket money. In some way, I stopped tithing. Now, that I have an income, the question of tithing comes around once again.

Should I set aside 10% for God?

At the end of last week, I decided not to change the way I allocate my money. I supposed since I have given more to God in offering than last year, the tithe can fund the offering budget. I felt fine doing that. I thought, it felt God, I did not lose my peace. I supposed that God was okay with that too.

It was only half a week after that seemingly right decision that God corrected me. Here is how he speaks to me.

I had the urge to throw away the old paper waste this afternoon. Those papers had piled for months and months and no one cared about it, even me. So, I came to my clean and feminine senses, and got a plastic bag and took it outside close to the public garbage bin. I had never disposed paper before although I had lived in this area for over a year. In Eindhoven, the place where I used to live in, paper waste should be separated from the organic waste. I thought that that rule also applies here and I finally just left the bags filled in with paper outside the bin.

It turns out that the act of leaving any garbage outside the bin is a law breach. I get a fine. Not 15 Euros. 90 Euros plus administration costs. And I know it right away that it was a reminder for me not to steal from God. Not that he needs money. It is just that he does not want me to be a thief. That's all. Tithe is his and if in any case, I want it. I am wrong.

He loves me so much so that he does not want to see me going deeper in the wrong way. Whatever it takes, he is bringing me back to his side, to the right place, the correct way.

Rebuke does not always mean hate,
it only tells that a child needs her dad.