We used to have a dog who waited patiently at the dinner table for any scraps which might come his way at the end of the meal. Invariably he would receive something, even if it was just the scraps.
Have you ever given God the scraps of your life? Malachi 1:6-14 tells us that is exactly what some of God’s people did to him. In fact, the people were guilty of two great sins: they despised God’s name and they defiled his altar.
During the return from the Exile, the Jews had resettled in Jerusalem and had rediscovered God’s law. They were making some effort to obey it. However, in the area of their stewardship, they were failing to give God the tithe, which God had commanded each of them to give. Can you imagine what it was like in Malachi’s day when people came to church? Everybody brought an offering. Some brought moldy bread, another brought a crippled cow, someone else brought a blind goat. Another brought a sickly sheep.
We do the same to God today when we give him the leftovers of our time, talents and money. What does your giving to the church say about what you think of God? God wants your best because He gave His best.
David L. Allen