The King You Choose – How Your Giving Reveals Your Heart

The Choice We All Have to Make

Every day, we make decisions—big and small. Some decisions shape our future in obvious ways, while others seem insignificant in the moment but have a lasting impact.

But one of the most important decisions we make—often without realizing it—is who or what is truly King in our lives.

Whether we recognize it or not, we’re always serving something. For some, it’s career success. For others, it’s financial security. For others, it’s the approval of people.

But for those of us who follow Jesus, the King we choose is revealed in the way we live—and especially in the way we give.

Abraham’s Two Kings

In Genesis 14, Abraham (then called Abram) finds himself at a crossroads. He had just led a successful mission to rescue his nephew Lot from enemy kings. After his victory, two kings approach him with two very different offers.

The first was the King of Sodom. He tells Abraham:

“Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself.” (Genesis 14:21)

Sounds like a pretty sweet deal, right? Abraham had just won the battle—why not keep the spoils?

But Abraham refuses.

“With raised hand I have sworn an oath to the Lord, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the strap of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, ‘I made Abram rich.’” (Genesis 14:22-23)

Abraham knew that accepting wealth from the King of Sodom would put him in debt to him. He didn’t want to owe anything to a worldly king.

Instead, he turns to the other king—a mysterious figure named Melchizedek, King of Salem.

Melchizedek was different. He wasn’t just a king; he was a priest of God Most High. He wasn’t offering riches—he was offering a blessing.

“Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” (Genesis 14:19-20)

And what does Abraham do in response?

He gives him a tenth of everything he has.

What This Means for Us

This moment in Abraham’s life teaches us something powerful:

The King you choose is revealed in what you do with what you have.

Abraham had two kings in front of him—one offering temporary riches and one representing the eternal God. And his response showed where his trust was.

By refusing the King of Sodom and tithing to Melchizedek, Abraham was making a statement:

“I will not let the world be my provider—I will trust God as my source.”

The same choice is in front of us today.

• The world offers us comfort, convenience, and control.

• God invites us to trust, surrender, and generosity.

And the way we respond reveals which King we have truly chosen.

Why Tithing is a Declaration of Trust

Tithing—giving the first 10% of what we earn back to God—is one of the clearest ways we declare who our King is.

It’s not about a legalistic obligation. It’s not about earning God’s favor. It’s not about checking a religious box.

It’s about trust.

• When we tithe, we’re saying: “God, I trust You to be my provider.”

• When we tithe, we’re saying: “God, I believe Your mission is worth investing in.”

• When we tithe, we’re saying: “God, I choose You over my fear, my comfort, and my financial security.”

Jesus Himself affirmed tithing in Matthew 23:23:

“You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.”

He wasn’t just calling people to be generous—He was calling them to a whole-hearted commitment to God’s kingdom.

And that’s what tithing does—it reorients our hearts toward who truly deserves to be King in our lives.

Are You Serving the Right King?

If we’re honest, many of us have unknowingly chosen the wrong king.

• We serve the king of materialism, always chasing the next thing that will make us feel secure.

• We serve the king of comfort, resisting anything that requires sacrifice.

• We serve the king of self-sufficiency, convinced that we have to handle everything on our own.

But those kings will always leave us empty.

The King worth following is the one who doesn’t just ask for our first and best—He gave us His first and best.

Jesus didn’t tithe His life—He gave it all.

• He gave 100% of His life for you.

• He gave His body and blood for you.

• He gave everything on the cross for you.

And in response, He invites us to trust Him, follow Him, and give our first and best back to Him.

Your Next Step

So the question is: Which King are you choosing?

If Jesus is truly your King, then let your trust in Him be reflected in how you live—especially in how you give.

Three challenges for you this week:

1. Pray – Ask God to reveal if there’s anything you’re holding back from Him.

2. Assess – Look at your finances and ask yourself, Does my giving reflect my trust in God?

3. Take action – If you’ve never tithed before, start somewhere. Pick a percentage and commit to giving consistently.

At Peak City, we believe a fully resourced church is an unstoppable church. When we choose to trust God with our first and best, we unleash His power to move in ways we never imagined.

So let’s be a people who declare with our lives: “Jesus, You are my King.”