“If your gift for a burnt offering is from the flock, from the sheep or goats, your offering shall be a male without blemish. ¹¹ It shall be slaughtered on the north side of the altar before the Lord, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall dash its blood against all sides of the altar. ¹² It shall be cut up into its parts, with its head and its suet, and the priest shall arrange them on the wood that is on the fire on the altar; ¹³ but the entrails and the legs shall be washed with water. Then the priest shall offer the whole and turn it into smoke on the altar; it is a burnt offering, an offering by fire of pleasing odor to the Lord.” Leviticus 1:10-13

The text from Leviticus talks about different types of offerings – but one common theme you will notice is that the offering shall be without blemish – a bull without blemish, a lamb without blemish, etc. Isn’t it just like humanity, that when we are to give something up, if we have a choice, we will tend not to give up our best things, but give up something that is “second-hand”, or not our favorite, or not our best quality. When we offer items to the local collection center, or even to our own ministries, how many times do we go to the “Dollar Store” or some other discount store rather than our usual stores. G-d knows the heart of humanity, the need we have to keep what is the best for ourselves, to hoard what we most prize and cherish, not to give up the “first fruits”. G-d established for us our first stewardship plan, we are to give to G-d not what is left, but what is right – not just anything, but our best things – not just any effort, but our best effort.  And this is not works righteousness, but it is what works for G-d.

Pastor Dave