We look at these two concepts and think they don’t have anything in common, but we couldn’t be more wrong. You know who could tell you that best? Cain. Let’s take a trip back to Genesis 4. We all know the story. Cain was a farmer, Abel was a herdsman. Cain brought “some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD,” but Abel brought “some of the firstborn of his flock.” Do you see the difference? I didn’t at first, but it caught my eye this time. Cain brought some of what he had. It could have been anything. For all we know, it was the worst fruit he had that he wanted to get rid of. Either way, it wasn’t worth mentioning. Abel however brought the firstborn of his flock. The best he had in his possession.
I wrote this as a note in my Bible: “God is not pleased with anything less than our best.” If we believe He created us, that He gave up so much for us, that begs us to believe that He deserves our best.
I was watching Sam & Cat the other day (I know, I’m a 5 year old, whatever, lame illustration), and they made up a gift-giving holiday called “Yayday.” At first Cat bought Sam a beautiful leather jacket, but instead gave her a dirty pillow someone found on the street. But Sam gave Cat this luxurious jump rope she had been wanting. As rudimentary as that illustration is, that’s the difference. God gave us luxury, but we tend to give Him a dirty old street pillow. And that’s how God saw Cain’s offering. Would you be pleased?
But you see, the problem wasn’t in the offering, the problem was in the heart that gave the offering. Verse 7 (NIV) explains what happens with that wicked heart if it is not attended to.
If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.
There’s a very tiny line between not giving your best to God and sin. Cain quickly jumped from across that line when he killed his own brother. God even warned Him, just as He warns us, but he didn’t listen. It’s a two-part descent. Don’t see how close to the line you can get. “Give of your best to the Master.”
My Nerd Word 