Giving, (God our best) By, Regina Postell Manuel

Give/Giving means, “yield as a product or result.”  Receive means, “to be given, presented with, or paid something.”

Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.  Proverbs 3:9-10 

 

What do we expect to be presented with (receive) if the yielded products are mediocre?  Do we prefer leftovers?

An expectation to receive a bountiful reward is ludicrous when we continue to come to God just as we are, when we know what’s being presented is not our best.  If God gave His best (John 3:16), don’t we know that we are expected to present Him with the same quality (Ezekiel 44:30).  We can’t continue to give God our leftovers.  We can’t handle God like merchandise given to the Salvation Army.  You know, like the things given to the Salvation Army because we no longer have use for or couldn’t sell the items.  Sometimes we as people want the best but often don’t give the best.  God can’t be an afterthought of someone with high expectations.  He must be our first choice.

If we want God to continue to bestow His best upon us, we must start by giving Him our best.  God will rain down blessings (peace, wisdom, discernment, debt cancellation, promotion etc.,) we won't have room to receive; all He desires to present to His children.  Don’t become dismayed or upset when God starts giving you what is leftover.  God created us in His image and we must walk and exhibit all His attributes.

  

If we need to evaluate whether we are giving God our best and not our leftovers, look at the efforts we put into our jobs (hobbies and interests) so that income can continue to flow into our homes.  If leftovers were yielded to our employer’s, how long would we be employed?  If anything, other than our best was produced, would we be promoted to the next level?  Therefore, we must stop coming as we are, giving God our leftovers, and start giving God our first/best (tithes, offerings, time, talents, and actions).

For God gave His best, when He gave His only begotten son.  We must also do likewise.

In our giving, remember to give God our best.