Naomi's husband has an investment of $100,000 ...and he tithes 10%, so when he shortly dies, his wife Naomi gets $90,000.
When Naomi gets the $90,000, she tithes 10% of it, so now has $81,000. She keeps $1,000 for her meager needs and gives $40,000 to each of her two sons who each tithe 10% of what they receive.
Things often go well for a time ...until they don't, and Naomi's two sons die. We are not told why they die, yet we are told the names of their respective wives, Orpah and Ruth.
But, in my present-day story ...well, I'm telling it quite different. When each of their respective husbands die, both Orpah and Ruth get the money their husbands had been gifted ...and they each tithe 10%.
In my story, Naomi is traveling back to her country with her two daughter-in-laws ...and they are seeking transportation. A salesman says he will sell them a ship, and presents his asking price. Orpah and Ruth say that even if they combine what each of them have ...well, they would still come up a couple thousand dollars short. The salesman says he will agree to take what they have for the ship.
Orpah and Ruth are excited, as they feel once they get to where they are going, they can sell the ship and turn a huge profit ...so they agree. They give the salesman all of their money and he happily stashes it away, then gives them one camel. He laughs, "The camel is widely known as 'the ship of the desert' ...so enjoy your bumpy ride. At least you won't get seasick."
Naomi had questioned the transaction her two daughter-in-laws had so quickly considered ...thinking it was too good of a deal. "You can't con a con," she said.
And though the salesman was truly a con, he knew better than to con God, so he felt he would smooth over his deception by also tithing 10%, thinking everything would be square with God.
So, of the initial $100,000 ...nearly 50% of it was tithed. Naomi and her two daughter-in-laws had one old, sickly camel ...which Orpah departed on. Naomi and Ruth hoofed it in the other direction. And we can say that isn't so bad, as Naomi and Ruth found prosperity and blessings. And Orpah was able to give her people a very large gift ...not in the form of a sick camel, but she is identified as the mother of Goliath (and three other giant sons).
Tithing involves priorities and what we'd consider worthwhile causes ...and giving, instead of storing up for ourselves. That being said, this is much akin to our perspective and the maturity of our walk through this life, with our eyes upon eternal life. Yet, how do we view taxes??
I was in a study group many years ago ...and the subject came up, with the perspective that the church, not government, should be taking care of the needs of the people. The view being presented was that the government taxes its people too much. What I mentioned ...was that I didn't mind when the government was taking care of the needs of the people because Christians were already within that mindset, and perhaps if the rest of society (the part involving those who were perhaps not Christians) were involved in also participating in good deeds ...that perhaps it would be encouragement for a much improved society, with everyone working together for the 'common good'. And I added, "Furthermore, I've witnessed the difficult discretion involved in deciding which needs are more important than others. And as the church cannot be flawless with those decisions, the people may allow too much effort and emotion towards achieving those ends ...which would be a huge distraction, and be too time consuming. So, it is my belief that the churches should focus on preaching and teaching the Gospel."
Yes, I know the government does not perform the task of helping the needy in the most efficient way nor how to help them in the most beneficial way ...yet, I am a bit more comfortable with people hating the government than hating the church.
