"Giving God Your Best?"

The story of Cain and Abel is one that has been debated for years and years, and will probably continue to be. People wonder why God accepted Abel's gift and not Cain's. Some people make Cain out to be a devilish like person who had no regard for God. Sure, his attitude toward the punishment that God served him could have been better, but I'm not so sure Cain was purely the 'Satan' that we make him out to be. Nor do I think Cain was a saint. Some hold to the notion that God was being unfair by looking in favor on Abel's offering and not Cain's. I don't believe this notion holds up when looking at the tone in this text. Some also argue that God looked in favor on Abel's offering because it had to do with blood, and Cain's didn't. If this were the case, it would make God out to be a discriminatory God who is pleased with only certain professions, and not the work people do in each of their own profession. This notion is proven wrong in Leviticus 1 when the text paints for us "The Burnt Offering" ritual, and how a person should proceed in presenting their sacrifice to God (Bull, sheep, or bird). I believe this story, prior to Cain's compounding the situation by murdering his brother, is one that shows us the attitude we should have toward our giving to God.

In Genesis four, we find the account of Cain and Abel. In verses 2b-5 we find the text in question, "Now Abel kept the flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast."
Note: The bible never says that God didn't accept both offerings, it merely shows which one he preferred.

The author of this text is deliberate in showing the reader that Cain brought some of the best or 'choice' (firstborn) that he had, but Cain kind of brought some of what he had when time permitted (In the course of time / As time passed). The point that is being woven in these scriptures is that God was more pleased with Abel's offering, not so much because of what it was, but because of how it was presented. Cain brought the first and best of what he had, Cain just brought it (when he got ready). Both brought an offering, and I believe God accepted both, but one was presented a little more intentionally than the other, and I believe that is why God smiled at Abel's just a little more.

My suspicion:
Many of us are like Cain in our giving. We give because we're supposed to as Christians. Some of us don't give anything to God (time included). We want God to speak to us but won't give him the time or a chance to do so. We ask so much of God but many of us don't give anything back to him. When we do give, we do it relunctantly or out of compulsion. Then we expect God to bless us and to look at our offerings with favor. Let's not beat up Cain too much because some of us are kin to him.

Here's my challenge:
We offer to God something everyday, if we are actually walking 'in Christ'. We offer God monetary gifts, we offer the fruit of our lips (praise), we offer to God our time. My question is, how are we offering it to him. Do we offer God the money we have left over after we have splurged on our wants? Is the only time we offer praise when the preacher says, "you ought to praise him right now?" In regards to time, do we offer God those last moments right before we fall asleep? I will admit, I have fallen asleep on my knees (attempting to pray AFTER a whole day) plenty of times. Or, do we give him a half-butt effort in our respective professions? My challenge is for each of us to actually give to God more intenionally. More importantly, because most of us already do give something, we need to rethink the way we give to God.

Read Genesis 4:1-5 and Malachi 1:6-14. Reflect on your giving to God and pray that God would give you not only the desire to give more to him, but also an attitude of giving that is more intentional.

Be blessed family...