Giving the Best!

 

 

 “In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD (Genesis 4:3 NIV.)

 

    Cain was the first documented child born on earth.  “In the course of time” is probably referring to when he became an adult; he was prompted to bring God an offering.  Like most children with siblings, Cain’s younger brother, Abel, decided to do what his older brother was doing.  The Bible does not say why the offering was given, the Bible only records God’s response to these offerings…

 

Adam and Eve had a son. Then Eve said, “I’ll name him Cain because I got him with the help of the LORD.” Later she had another son and named him Abel. Abel became a sheep farmer, but Cain farmed the land. One day, Cain gave part of his harvest to the LORD, and Abel also gave an offering to the LORD. He killed the first-born lamb from one of his sheep and gave the LORD the best parts of it. The LORD was pleased with Abel and his offering, but not with Cain and his offering… (Genesis 4:1-5 CEV Emphasis added)

 

     As a Bible believing Christian, offerings are a part of my life.  However, these scriptures clearly showed that God is not pleased with just any offering I may choose to give him. 

 

      I have heard sermons teach God was not pleased with the type of gift Cain was presenting.  If Cain wanted to bless God with a gift, why did it matter to God, where the gift came from?  I have not been convinced that God would reject a gift based on a person’s talents or job description.

 

     As I read the scriptural account, I studied the words of the passage, especially the description of each gift, when I saw something that made the difference in the two gifts… “Cain gave part of his harvest (some of the fruits) to the LORD” and Able “gave the LORD the best parts of it.  God was not comparing the  two gifts with each other. God was looking at each gift based on its own merits. 

 

     God is pleased when I give my best.