" Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Then the Lord said to Cain, 'Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 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.' " [Genesis 4:2-7]

this was the passage that the preacher shared during service today... and i thought it means a lot to me, and probably most of the christians around us... the question to ask is: "why does didn't the Lord look upon Cain's offering with favor, but on Abel's???" and well, Cain brought SOME of the fruits of the soil... and some really doesn't mean something really plentiful and good... plus it's only fruits, NOT the best crops in the field, NOT choice fruits, NOT peeled fruits or anything like that... it's just fruits, wholesale from the field... and when we compare it to the offering of Abel... "fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock"... it means taking the best [in those days it was oil], from the best [firstborn in this case means the best and the fattest sheep in the flock]...

so obviously the Lord would be pleased with the one with the better offering... and so this leads to another question: "are we just offering ourselves as part of a ceremony; or do we put in our best as offerings???" and this does not limit to our donations to the church, but also service, amongst others... and on top of that, is our attitude towards all our offerings right??? are we giving because we have to, or are we giving because we want to???

the issue in question here is our faith... Abel has faith that the Lord deserves the best so he reserved the best in his flock for the Lord... he could have kept it and sold the fattest sheep for the highest price in the market, and simply gave the Lord the skinniest one; but he did not... and on top of that, he worked hard on his offering... he didn't just place the sheep on the altar, but process the sheep such that the best product of the best sheep is offered up to the Lord... it's the effort and the heart, not the value that really counts...

it really serves as a great reminder to me... do i go to church just because it's a sunday and i HAVE to go to church, or do i go to church because it's a chance to listen to the word of the Lord so as to be able to better influence and improve the lives of the people around me??? and everytime i offer up my donations to the church, do i do it thinking that it's part of the church "law"; or do i do it in hope that this offering will go towards helping others???