Gifts speak loudly. They
say a lot about the heart of the giver and the state of a relationship. Often, we appreciate gifts from our friends
and family regardless of what they are, because they represent the giver’s care
for us. But what if it was your birthday
and a close friend came to you and said “Well I know it’s your birthday, which means I’m
supposed to give you some kind of gift, so here’s something I happened to buy at
the dollar store yesterday. I thought I could use it, but you can have it ‘cause
it’s your birthday.” They might not use
so many words, but the gift itself would speak loud and clear about their offhanded
attitude. You might even feel guilty for accepting it, because the gift was
offered out of a sense of obligation, rather than love. A true gift of love calls for intentionality
and sacrifice on the part of the giver.
It speaks of time taken to consider the interests of the recipient and of
the depth of feeling embedded in the relationship.
Abel, the second son of Adam and Eve, gave such a gift to
God. He offered the LORD ‘fat portions
from some of the firstborn of his flock’ (Genesis 4:4). The flock would have been Abel’s sustenance,
and he gave up the best, most valued parts of it, reflecting his desire to
honor God. His older brother Cain also
brought a gift—“some of the fruits of the soil” (Genesis 4:3). He also gave from his livelihood, but the
description says nothing to indicate any care or quality involved in the
gift.
God “looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain
and his offering he did not look with favor” (Genesis 4:4). Cain was angry and confused—hadn’t he also
given a gift? Hadn’t he done his duty towards God? But God caught what the gifts were saying about
both Cain and Abel’s attitude towards Him.
He saw that although Cain offered a gift, his heart was not right
towards God. I think what Cain failed to
understand is that God desires more from us than ritual offerings and dutiful worship. It’s not the gift itself that matters to
Him. He longs for sincere, intimate,
devoted relationship. The gifts that win His favor are the ones
that tell Him about our sincere, grateful, and passionate love for Him and all
He’s given us.
What are our gifts to God really saying?
No comments:
Post a Comment