Have you ever paid close attention to the habits in your life that have been passed down from generation to generation? Maybe you’ve had a newlywed argument that ended with, “Well, that’s how my mom does it!” I know I have.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become more aware of how much of my life has been shaped by the people who came before me. I clean the way I do because that’s how my mom did it. I cook the way I do, celebrate birthdays and holidays the way I do, and even care for my kids the way I do—all because it’s what I saw modeled. A glass of Sprite with crushed ice when you’re sick. A note in the lunchbox. A drive through town to look at Christmas lights. Small things, passed down with love, shaping how I now love my own family.

And it’s not just the small things. It’s the spiritual ones, too.

A Hard-Hitting Parable

If you have a Bible—and I hope you do—turn with me to Luke 16. The story of the rich man and Lazarus hit me hard this week. 

In Luke 16:19-31 Jesus tells a story about two men with very different lives. One was rich—dressed in luxury and feasting every day. The other, a poor man named Lazarus, was sick, hungry, and laid at the rich man’s gate, hoping for scraps. Even the dogs showed him more compassion than the man did.

Eventually, both men died. Lazarus was carried by angels to Abraham’s side—a place of comfort. But the rich man found himself in torment in Hades. From a distance, he saw Lazarus with Abraham and cried out for relief: “Father Abraham, send Lazarus to dip his finger in water and cool my tongue—I’m in agony in this fire!”

But Abraham replied, “Remember, in your life you had good things, and Lazarus suffered. Now he is comforted, and you are in anguish. Besides, there’s a great chasm between us—no one can cross over.”

Desperate, the rich man begged, “Then at least send Lazarus to my family to warn my five brothers, so they don’t end up here too!”

Abraham responded, “They already have Moses and the Prophets. They should listen to them.”

The rich man protested, “But if someone rises from the dead, they’ll believe and repent!”

To which Abraham said, “If they won’t listen to Scripture, they won’t be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”

As I sat with this story, I asked the Lord: “Why does this keep jumping out at me?” I’m a consistent giver. I tithe. I’ve been in ministry for over ten years. But the longer I sat in the text, the more I realized something: generosity is not the natural condition of the human heart. It’s learned. And in most cases, it’s inherited.

The rich man pleads for Lazarus to go warn his brothers. Why? Because they were just like him. They had been raised with the same values—security, self, wealth—and were headed for the same judgment.

Why I Tithe

I tithe because I was raised by tithers. My grandmother tithed. My mother tithed. And so I tithe. It was never an afterthought in our house; it was the first check written. We weren’t wealthy. My dad died suddenly when I was nine, and my mom raised my brother and me on one income. Yet I never once saw her withhold what belonged to the Lord. And you know what? We always had enough—and then some.

That example of faithful obedience left a mark. And it’s why I want my children to see the same.

Can You Be Rich and Be Saved?

All this talk of giving inherently brings us to ask the question, “can you be rich and be saved?” 

That question echoes again in Luke 18:24–25, when Jesus says:

“How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle…”

And just when that lands heavy, Jesus follows up in verse 27:

“What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

Jesus is clear: trusting God with your money is hard—especially when you have a lot of it. Because the more financially secure you feel, the harder it becomes to walk in spiritual dependence. If we don’t see our need for a Savior in daily provision, we won’t see our need for a Savior in salvation and sanctification.

It is possible to be rich and be saved. But only when Jesus has control of both your life and your finances.

What About Greed?

So let me be even more direct: 

Can you be rich and be saved? Yes.

Can you be greedy and be saved? No.

Jesus says in Matthew 6:24:

“You cannot serve both God and money.”

And in verse 21:

“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

If your money stays in your hands, your god is you—and that’s a problem. Salvation is only from the Lord, not from your savings account.

What Jesus Says About Money

Jesus talks about money and possessions more than almost anything else:

• 11 of His 39 parables deal directly with money.
  
• 1 in every 7 verses in the Gospel of Luke references money.
  
• Over 2,000 verses in the Bible deal with wealth and possessions.
  

Why? Because money reveals what we really worship. It’s the most likely idol to steal your heart from Jesus and distract your mind from the calling of Christ in your life. 

What the Numbers Say

Consider these stats (from Barna Group and Lifeway Research):

• Only about 10–12% of evangelicals tithe (i.e., give 10% of their income) regularly to their local church.
  
• Those making less than $30,000/year were more likely to tithe than those making over $75,000/year, suggesting generosity isn’t tied to wealth but conviction.
  

These aren’t just numbers about money—they’re measures of obedience.

Jesus didn’t say, “Where your church attendance is, there your heart will be.” He said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Tithing is not just about meeting a need—it’s about training the heart to trust God.

Saved people tithe and saved people give to the needy. Saved people are generous people. This is something the Bible is completely clear on. It is not gray, it is black and white, or red depending on the type of Bible you use. Bottom line is this: If God doesn’t have your pocketbook, he doesn’t have your heart. And you should have no assurance of salvation. 

So… What Kind of Giver Are You?

There are four types of givers in the church, but only one kind of obedient giver:

1. Those who tithe but aren’t generous.
   They give out of obligation but withhold when asked to go further.
2. Those who are generous but don’t tithe.
   They prefer to pick and choose where their money goes, often out of distrust of the local church.
3. Those who neither tithe nor give.
   They haven’t yet trusted God with their money.
4. Those who both tithe and are generous.
   They give what God has commanded and then cheerfully give more, knowing that “it is more blessed to give than to receive.” 

But Scripture is clear:

• We are called to tithe 10% to the local church.
  
• We are called to be generous beyond that when needs arise.
  
• We are called to trust that God will provide.

A Heart of Generosity

If this is convicting you today, don’t resist it—respond to it. Ask God to make you generous.
In Matthew 7, Jesus says that God gives good gifts to those who ask. So ask.

Start by tithing. Then ask God to give you eyes to see needs, a heart that’s willing to meet them, and a faith that trusts He will provide.

Here’s what I know from experience:
God has never failed to outgive us when we have obeyed.
Never.

Sometimes we gave what we didn’t even have, and God provided anyway.
That’s just who He is. His math ain’t our math. You can’t make it make sense.
It’s just faith. Obedient, cheerful, surrendered faith.

If This Made You Mad…

Let me end with this:
If this week’s blog made you mad, you ain’t mad at me—you’re mad at God.

This isn’t about my opinion. This is about your obedience and faithfulness. If you claim to trust Jesus for your eternity but won’t trust Him with your wallet, what kind of faith is that?

Imagine for a moment that it’s your children on the other side of that chasm—lost, not because you didn’t love them, but because you taught them to trust in money rather than God. That should sober us.

Don’t wait until the end of your life to beg for a second chance like the rich man.
Obey now. Teach your children now. Trust God now.

Give God your heart. And your wallet will follow.