Tithing

ESPN's Outside the Lines show recently aired this video on televangelists and professional athletes. You can say a lot about the problems with the "prosperity gospel", but that is not the point of me posting the video. What I am interested in is the state of mind of some of the "ministers" interviewed as well as some of the athletes, as well as ESPN itself. Most impressive in this video is Evander Holyfield and the way he responds at the end of the video when the reporter is asking him, now with his 109 room house being forclosed, if he had the choice to make his mortgage payment or tithe, which he would do. Holyfield said he would tithe because it would be better for him in the long run.

It is very interesting to me that some "non-reformed" Christians understand this perhaps better than some "reformed" Christians. Granted the "paying off in the long run" part may look different in our minds, but you must admit to being a little humbled by the sincerity and frankness with the response. While prosperity gospel teaching organizations will continue to undermine Christ's true aim for how we should live and why, some of them at least have this much right on the button. God gets dibs first, period. Hearing him say that can be a tough pill to swallow when we are willing to shine that penetrating light back on ourselves.