Obedience is better than sacrifice

Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.-Malachi 3:8

Giving is a big part of the Christian faith and the rewards of such act of kindness are sung aloud in the pews and on the altars of many religious organisations.

Sitting in on a church discussion at a fasting service on Wednesday, Family and Religion was privy to various testimonies and accounts of how important it is to respect the laws of the Bible where tithes and offerings are concerned.

Not only did the people of God outline the blessings that have been flowing throughout their lives as a result of their selfless offerings to the collection plate, but also how significant it is to obey the voice of God and help a brother in his time of need.

One sister recalled an event which took place in her life just over a month ago.

"It was at a fasting service like this when out of the blue Sister Grace* just turned around and said: 'Give me US$100 nuh please?'

SHOCKED AT THE REQUEST

I was so shocked at the request and hurriedly made gestures to dismiss the conversation," she said, adding that the sister followed up by saying she wasn't serious in her appeal.

The woman continued her exhortation by saying just a few days after the confrontation, she lost her purse which bore a total of US$150.

"The moment I lost the purse, I was reminded of Sister Grace's request and knew exactly then that God was talking to me. I ended up losing much more than was requested," she said.

Another woman who, upon hearing the testimony of her fellow saint had got up simultaneously with what seemed like a burning testimony.

"Something like that happened to me, too. I was in service one day and the spirit told me to give a certain sister a $1,000 but I had already had it in mind to buy a blouse from the money I had.

Be obedient

I went downtown that same day, bought two blouses and a patty and was ready to head home. While going on the bus someone beckoned to me that I had dropped something and when I checked it out it was one of the tops that I had just purchased. I picked it up and went in the bus where I realised that I had lost the other blouse and the patty that I had just bought," she said as she added that in the moment she knew exactly that the reason she lost the items was because she had disobeyed the spirit of God.

The women went on to encourage others about the significance of obedience, admitting that it is more effective and better than sacrifice.