Honor God with Your First Fruits

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Honor God with Your First Fruits

Proverbs 3:1-12 The Message

Don’t Assume You Know It All
3 1-2 Good friend, don’t forget all I’ve taught you;
    take to heart my commands.
They’ll help you live a long, long time,
    a long life lived full and well.
3-4 Don’t lose your grip on Love and Loyalty.
    Tie them around your neck; carve their initials on your heart.
Earn a reputation for living well
    in God’s eyes and the eyes of the people.
5-12 Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
    don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
    he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Don’t assume that you know it all.
    Run to God! Run from evil!
Your body will glow with health,
    your very bones will vibrate with life!
Honor God with everything you own;
    give him the first and the best.
Your barns will burst,
    your wine vats will brim over.
But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline;
    don’t sulk under his loving correction.
It’s the child he loves that God corrects;
    a father’s delight is behind all this.

For Reflection

What are you providing to enlarge the Kingdom of God? Are you giving what is left over after all of your obligations are met, or do you first give to God's work and then contribute the rest of your time, talent, and resources to your pursuits?

Perhaps such giving, before or after your priorities is a sign of the strength of your belief and trust in God. Maybe it is not practical to give God priority to monetary gifts. Money is not the most potent gift anyone rich or poor possesses anyway.

The most precious and intimate gift you have to contribute is your time and talent. In short, the first fruits of your existence are lodged in the essence of who you think your self to be.  Have you given your self entirely to God? Your commitment to living the way Christ has shown us to live is the only tribute that delights God.

Pray

Walking in the way of the Lord in the care and guidance of the Holy Spirit is the only prayer that matters.

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