Samoa Joe testifies about his faith and tithing
The wrestling star spoke publicly about his faith in Christ and his passion for tithing, according to Crosswalk.com.
Samoa Joe testifies about his faith in Christ and his passion for tithing, according to Crosswalk.com. He is one of the well-known voices in professional wrestling, and his statement opens an uncomfortable conversation.
A ring is not a pulpit
When a public figure talks about Jesus, the reaction splits fast. Some hold him up as an example without asking anything else; others demand proof as if faith were measured with a championship belt. Neither one helps.
A public confession of faith opens a door; it does not hand over a title. Scripture reminds us that God looks at the heart and not at appearances (see 1 Samuel 16:7). That is why a testimony is heard with joy and with discernment: it is compared with the Bible and prayer is offered for the one who tells it.
«The gospel does not gain weight because a star says it; it gains weight when someone truly believes it.»
Pray for him, too. Faith is not sustained by good performance; it is sustained by grace.
And there is something more important than the famous name. If Christ saves, he saves ordinary people, without cameras or spotlights. The gospel does not gain weight because a star says it; it gains weight when someone truly believes it.
Tithing is not a machine
There is a version of giving that looks like a bet: I put in this much and God gives me back double. That idea does not come from the Bible; it comes from the desire to have God under control.
The psalm says it plainly: "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein." (Psalm 24:1, ESV) If everything is his, giving is not a payment: it is recognizing whose what I have is.
Paul wrote to the Corinthians: "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7, ESV) There is no magic percentage or guaranteed refund. There is a personal decision and a promise about the heart.
Giving does not make you better than the one who does not give, either. Generosity is a fruit of grace, not a medal you hang around your neck.
That is what catches my attention here. Not that a wrestler talks about money, but that he talks about giving in a culture that only talks about winning.
What you decide before your first paycheck
Maybe you are 17 and you still do not earn anything. You can still decide something: when your first payment comes, a part is set aside first. Not because God needs your money, but so that you learn to let it go from the start.
Start small: a fixed amount, decided before the money arrives and kept up month after month. Also learn to budget, to save and to get out of debt. If you need financial advice, look for it with a certified professional.
If your church does not explain well what the money is used for, ask. A healthy church is not offended by that.
And a warning for the field: sports betting is not a way to win, it is a way to lose. No scoreboard pays for what you leave behind.
This week you can do something concrete: set aside a small amount, even if it seems ridiculous to you, and give it where your church uses it to serve. Then ask yourself seriously: do I give expecting something in return, or because I have already received everything? I would like to read your answer.
