WORK, GIVE, AND BE BLESSED

Publish date: 04/01/2004

Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. John 12:3-6 NIV

Judas was a thief. A person who is a thief is a person who covets, and who takes, by force or deception, those things that other people have earned by their righteous labor. A thief has no respect for his neighbor’s property and therefore no respect for his neighbor either. A thief has no fear of God or respect for His Word, which commands us not to steal and not to covet.

Because Judas was covetous, when Mary poured out this entire bottle of very, very expensive perfume all on Jesus, he was deeply offended. Why on earth would you be offended by another person’s alabaster box? Why on earth would you be offended by another person lavishing their best gift on the Lord Jesus Christ? Obviously, the covetousness in your own heart will cause you to be offended, for no reason, by the freewill, generous offerings of your neighbor.

A thief is not happy when his neighbor receives a blessing either, because he is envious. Judas was so offended by the perfume being poured out on Jesus, that he went straight out of that house to make a deal with the chief priests to betray Him.

Let the thief steal no more, but rather let him be industrious, making an honest living with his own hands, so that he may be able to give to those in need. Ephesians 4:28 AMP

According to the Word of God, you are either a thief or you are a giver! Someone might say, “Isn’t that a little too black and white? I don’t give much, but at least I don’t steal from people.” Maybe they don’t go out and take things from people, but when they disrespect God by holding back their tithe from the Lord, the Bible calls them a thief!

Will a man rob or defraud God? Yet you rob and defraud Me. But you say, In what way do we rob or defraud You? [You have withheld your] tithes and offerings. 9 You are cursed with the curse, for you are robbing Me, even this whole nation. Malachi 3:8-9 AMP

So you see—if you withhold your tithe—the first tenth of everything you earn or receive as a gift—you are robbing from God, Himself, and bringing a curse on your life. You are robbing Him of His rightful place of honor in your life and you are robbing Him of the opportunity to get involved in your life and to bless you.

God’s will for your life is that you would be a worker and a giver. When you tithe on your increase and you are a giver, out of the earnings from your righteous labors, you can never be accused of being a thief. Being a giver helps to keep your heart right, keeps the devil out of your business, and ensures that the blessings and favor of God will always be on your life.