Proverbs 21:3, 27—And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.
God doesn’t need your offering in the plate, but you need to give it! Sometimes we get the idea that if we give to God or make some kind of sacrifice, God is indebted to us. Maybe then He will overlook our sins that we refuse to forsake. The justification in our minds goes something like this: “I don’t want to give up this thing that I know is wrong, so instead, I will give to the needy.” Good deeds don’t nullify evil ones. They don’t earn you points in heaven. We are expected to do good when we are able to. That is simply the right thing to do. Not to do so is evil. God owns everything, even the things in your temporary possession. When you sacrifice of your time or money, you are merely giving what is God’s into the hands of another. That is liberating for you. It helps you stay free from enslavement to the love of money. God gave it to you so you could pass it on to those in need. It is more blessed to give than receive. God is the greatest giver. When we give we are like Him if we give from pure motives. Some would give expecting influence or favor in return. That is to sacrifice with evil intent. Giving should have no strings attached. It is simply a transfer in stewardship to those with a greater need. God is not after your possessions. He is after your heart. He wants you to be increasingly conformed to His likeness. That includes giving from a pure heart of compassion for the need of others, or giving at the direction of the One you love. Samuel told Saul that to obey was better than sacrifice, and to listen to God than sacrificial ram’s blood. If God has your heart, then your sacrifices come from pure motives.
