There were two brothers named Cain and Abel. Cain was the older brother, and both of them were children of Adam and Eve.
Cain was a farmer who planted crops, while his brother Abel was a shepherd who took care of sheep.
One day, God wanted them to bring Him an offering as a sign of gratitude for everything He had given them.
And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering. Genesis 4:3–4.
Cain brought some of what he had grown on his farm, but it was not his best. Abel brought the firstborn of his flock and gave it to God in faith.
God was pleased with Abel’s offering, but He did not accept Cain’s. The smoke from Abel’s offering rose all the way up to heaven, while the smoke from Cain’s offering stayed low to the ground. Cain became angry, and he killed his brother Abel.
Abel’s offering pointed forward to Jesus and the cross, because it was given in faith and from his very best. Cain’s offering came from ground that God had cursed, and it was given without faith and without his best. God does not just look at what we bring to Him — He looks at the faith and the heart behind the gift.
What would it look like for you to give God your best today?
Pray: Heavenly Father, help me to worship You from my heart and to give You my very best in all that I do, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.
Tambe Stanley Nkongho has served as a Pastor in Nigeria and Cameroon. He is married; God has blessed their union with three children. Nigeria’s population is roughly 46–48% Christian, while Cameroon’s is 40–65%. Both nations feature large Catholic and Protestant/Pentecostal communities, which heavily anchor the cultural and social life of their southern and western regions.