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Nudges and Choice Architecture

The new book, entitled “Nudge,” is presented as “a ground breaking discussion of how we can apply the new science of choice architecture to nudge people toward decisions that will improve their lives by making them healthier, wealthier. And more free.”

Authors Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein are professors at the University of Chicago and friends of President Barach Obama. The authors speak much about, “libertarian paternalism” (a concept of guidance with freedom} however, the underlying assumption of the book is that the necessary nudging must come from government and not from a free market society. The question remains as to whether the choice architecture will ultimately include a full array of secular humanism and political correctness. Rather than a new science, choice architecture is what God has used in His word, the Bible, for thousands of years. Joshua offered a nudge for choice architecture when he said “Choose you this day whom you will serve; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:17)

The prophet Malachi offered one of the most dynamic nudges in choice architecture relating to financial stewardship, saying, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house, and prove me now therewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the doors of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes. (Mal. 3:10-11)

Leviticus 27:28 speaks of this same tithe as a devoted thing. Devoted in Hebrew is “Cha ram” which means something set aside most holy to God, something doomed to destruction or used by God, not to be sold or redeemed by any substitutionary measure. The root word for Char am is qadash, which means to be selected, to be pure, to be holy. (Lev. 10:33, 22:32)

The reality is that if the child of God does not give the tithe, its value shall be destroyed. However, if the child of God is faithful in giving the tithe, it will be the gateway to the miraculous in their life with an outpouring from heaven with blessings that cannot be contained. Some critics have said that the tithe is of the law but Abraham gave tithes to Melchizadek which predates the law given to Moses. (Gen. 14:20)

Others say Jesus said nothing about the tithe. On the contrary, Jesus when speaking to the Pharisees said, “for ye pay tithe of mint and anise, and cumin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these (the tithes) ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” (Matt. 23:23)

He validated the giving of the tithe when speaking to the Pharisees and He validates the effectiveness of the tithe in the lives of his faithful stewards who consistently are faithful in the giving of their tithes. Not only do they receive heavens manifold blessings, their lives are a testimony to others of stability, stalwart faith, and commitment to God.

The statistician, George Barna, has stated that his research in Evangelical churches showed that less than ten per cent of their constituents paid tithes on a consistent basis. We know that the percentage of giving would be higher in most Apostolic churches. However, we also know that there are many in our ranks that are not paying tithes. They are not hard to recognize because their lives demonstrate inconsistency and instability.

Jesus spoke of this saying, “If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust true riches.” (Luke 16:11)

The role of the church is to provide the loving nudge toward that choice architecture of God’s word encouraging everyone to bring their lives into agreement and obedience with the word of God so that we all might receive the blessings that God has prepared for us.