I really love the following story from Elder Brockbank for several reasons. First, this story goes well with Malachi 3:8-10, which states, “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”
Second, this story gives hope to those who do not or who have not paid their tithing. Elder Brockbank shares that he was not always faithful in this thing, but that he became faithful in the paying of his tithes after this experience. To those that do not pay their tithing, I want to add my testimony to that of Elder Brockbank. The Lord can make you more than you can make you. He can enlarge your capacities, and inspire you to make your resources sufficient for your needs. I have had this experience in my life personally.
I recall a personal experience. A few years ago when my wife and I were involved with a young family, we were struggling to meet our financial needs, and we were in debt, and we were not honest in our payment of tithes and offerings. We were attending church and I thought that we loved the Lord, but one day my wife said to me, “Do you love God?” and I answered, “Yes.”
She said, “Do you love God as much as you love the grocer?”
I replied, “I hope that I love him more than the grocer.”
She said, “But you paid the grocer. Do you love God as much as the landlord? You paid him, didn’t you?” She then said, “The first and great commandment is to love God, and you know we have not paid our tithing.”
We repented and paid our tithes and offerings, and the Lord opened the windows of heaven and poured out blessings upon us. We consider it a great privilege to pay tithes and offerings to the Lord.
I would like to mention that when we were not honest with the Lord, we were disturbed and had difficulties and problems.
We can perfect our lives by living the Lord’s commandments. And as has been quoted many times, the Lord has said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15.)
Bernard P. Brockbank, Conference Report, April 1971, pp. 113-14.