Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones. Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
Proverbs 3:7-10
In the agricultural economy that was prevalent in Old Testament times, a harvest was not something that could be taken for granted. Too much or too little rainfall, an early hot spell, or a late freeze could spell disaster. The harvest was not a luxury, but literally a matter of life and death because if food did not come in, there was no backup plan. There were no grocery stores or delivery services or restaurants. People’s lives depended on what they grew, feeding them until the next year’s harvest. Yet despite the vital importance of every part of the harvest for future survival, God commanded that the very first of the new harvest be brought to Him as an offering. “Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring a sheaf of the firstfruits of your harvest unto the priest” (Leviticus 23:10).
The reason God commanded this offering was to serve as a reminder that He is the ultimate source of our provision. It is not our jobs or our crops or our investments that provide for us, but His goodness and grace that make it all possible. When we give to Him, not out of the leftovers but from our first and best, we are acknowledging our utter dependence on Him.
In God’s great grace, He blesses us for giving back to Him what He has first given to us. The reason giving is so important for us is not that God needs the help, but that we are much more likely to remain humble and grateful as we give cheerfully to Him.
