Providence, though unseen, is ever at work in the affairs of men. God’s hand can prosper or withhold, and He frequently withholds from one while He seems to prosper another. All this is to test and prove men and to reveal the heart. He lets misfortune overtake one brother while He prospers others to see if those whom He favors have His fear before their eyes and will perform the duty enjoined upon them in His word to love their neighbor as themselves and to help their poorer brother from a love to do good. Acts of generosity and benevolence were designed by God to keep the hearts of the children of men tender and sympathetic, and to encourage in them an interest and affection for one another in imitation of the Master, who for our sakes became poor, that we through His poverty might be made rich. The law of tithing was founded upon an enduring principle and was designed to be a blessing to man. {3T 547.1}

(547) Selvom forsynet er usynligt, arbejder det altid i menneskers anliggender. Guds hånd kan give fremgang eller tilbageholde og ofte tilbageholder han fra een, medens han synes at give andre fremgang. Alt dette for at forsøge og prøve mennesker og for at afsløre hjertet. Han lader ulykke komme over en broder medens han begunstiger andre for at se om den han begunstiger, har frygt for ham i deres øjne og vil udrette den pligt der er pålagt dem i hans ord for at elske deres næste som sig selv og for at hjælpe deres fattigere broder ud fra trang til at gøre godt. Ædelmodighedens og godgørenhedens handlinger blev planlagt af Gud for at menneskebørnenes hjerter skal være blide og forstående, så en interesse og hengivenhed for hinanden anspores hos dem, ved at efterligne Mesteren, som for vor skyld blev fattig, så vi gennem hans armod kunne blive rige. Tiendeloven blev grundlagt på et varigt princip og blev planlagt til at være til velsignelse for mennesker.