Donation or Offering?

As a kid my new clothes were often someone else's old ones, and I was always excited to have them.  Sometimes we would receive a bag of gently used clothing from a church friend or a cardboard box would be shipped from my cousin up north.  Some of my favorite clothes did not come from a store, but from the kindness and generosity of friends.  My brother, sister, and I always enjoyed searching for new treasures to wear.

Our family recently sold our old car and bought a much newer, hopefully much more reliable vehicle.  Before we sold it Laura and I talked about the potential of donating it to a charitable organization.  I started thinking about the distinction between an "offering" and a "donation."  Our new car made the old one expendable.  At our fellowship the ushers pass bags to "receive tithes and offerings."  Tithe literally means "10 percent" and an offering is to be the best of the first-fruits which are most treasured.  A donation is a "gift" of convenience, but an offering is a gift of faith.  A donation can be second-hand or simply given instead of throwing it away!  Donations can be left over scraps, while offerings to God are to be the choicest selections.

A few years ago God challenged me with how I give.  For my birthday I was given three identical Aerobies by different people, a throwing ring similar to a Frisbee.  The main differences are it flies very far without much effort and can be tuned by bending up or down.  Though the Aerobies were identical, they were not the same:  one of them had been stored in such a way it was permanently warped right from the package.  While we were playing with them, one of my friends was especially enamored with the throwing discs.  I decided I would give one away:  but which one would I give?  The one that was "second" quality, or one of the perfect ones?  Following the Golden Rule, I believe I made the right decision!

It is to our shame if we donate to God rather than offer our best to Him.  I'm forced to ask myself:  do I only give when it is convenient or easy?  Or do I give God my first and best?  God doesn't need our donations, nor will he accept them.  But He does delight in our offerings!  What a gracious God we serve, a God who deserves only our first and best!  God is more worthy than our greatest offerings.  He's gracious to receive anything from us.