What we do is we attach someone else's 'excellence' to our own abilities - and that's where we go wrong!
Check this passage out... Gen 4:2-7
"Abel was a herdsman and Cain a farmer. Time passed. Cain brought an offering to God from the produce of his farm. Abel also brought an offering, but from the firstborn animals of his herd, choice cuts of meat. God liked Abel and his offering, but Cain and his offering didn't get his approval. Cain lost his temper and went into a sulk. God spoke to Cain: "Why this tantrum? Why the sulking? If you do well, won't you be accepted? And if you don't do well, sin is lying in wait for you, ready to pounce; it's out to get you, you've got to master it."
We want so much to be accepted and loved by others. We see from this story that Cain missed out on that acceptance because he didn't bring his best, the best of the gifts that GOD had given him. He went into a rage of jealousy for his brother because he thought that his gift had some relation to Abel's, which it didn't!
It had to do with bringing the best of what GOD had equipped them with. It had nothing to do with being 'better' than others... Jesus was clear that we are all equal, we can never out-give someone else because each of us should give as we have decided in our hearts (2 Cor 9:7). The gifts that we bring show GOD our hearts.
The New Testament Epistle writer, Paul, spent much of his time reminding his readers that all of us have gifts that GOD has given us. I want to encourage you to bring the very best of those gifts to GOD.
All these gifts have been given to us so that we can meet the needs of others in GOD's strength. Our ministry (meeting the needs of others) is threefold;
- to the Lord
- to believers
- to non-believers
The gifts that we bring (talents, treasures, time, nature, body) need to be better than our previous gifts if we want them to be excellent. If we keep doing the same thing over and over again, then our best becomes our average.
Abel brought his best and found favour with the King. He showed GOD his heart for excellence, a heart to give GOD his best! We will expand on this concept over the next few posts and encourage you to always, always bring GOD the best that you have!
