"They said my family wasn't tithing enough so God was punishing us with Dad's job loss."
How it sounds in your head: The elder pulled Dad aside and said our financial problems were because we weren't giving ten percent. Like God is some mob boss collecting protection money. If that's who God is, I want nothing to do with Him.
"Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree'), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."
-- Galatians 3:13-14Source: Religious lie teaching transactional relationship with God, earning blessing through payment rather than receiving covenant grace.
An authority figure explicitly connected their suffering to lack of payment, creating fear-based theology that makes God seem mercenary. The timing of the confrontation during crisis added cruelty to the lie.
Down to her last meal, about to eat and die with her son, hadn't been tithing because she HAD NOTHING—Elijah asked her to give first, she obeyed, and her oil and flour multiplied INSTANTLY. She went from one meal away from death to NEVER running out again. The blessing wasn't based on past payment but present faith.
I REFUSE the lie that God withholds blessing because of money. IT IS WRITTEN that Christ REDEEMED me from the curse so the BLESSING of Abraham would come on me through FAITH not finances. That elder spoke from LAW; I live under GRACE. IT IS WRITTEN that the BARAK blessing is mine as Abraham's seed—the same blessing that made Isaac so wealthy a king was threatened, the same blessing that protected even when Jacob had NOTHING but a rock for a pillow. God isn't a mob boss collecting payment; He's a FATHER running toward me with PROVISION. My dad's job loss isn't punishment; it's setup for BREAKTHROUGH that has nothing to do with our tithe percentage.
The Father is FURIOUS at that elder for adding weight to your family's burden and lying about His character. He's not waiting for a check to clear before He moves—He's already RUNNING toward your family with provision, with opened doors, with blessing that has NOTHING to do with how much you gave and EVERYTHING to do with who you ARE. You're His DAUGHTER, not His debtor.