“Then King David said to Ornan, ‘No, but I will surely buy it for the full price, for I will not take what is yours for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings with that which costs me nothing.’” 1 Chronicles 21:24

That Which Costs Me Nothing

There are times when I can go years and years without realizing that something I’ve done or some attitude I’ve held is ungodly. Today I had one of those realizations that brought me to repent and ask forgiveness.

Years ago, our church had a ministry of giving away food to those who came to our doors in need. They were told to go to a specific office to receive the food, and the director of the ministry would determine their needs and pray with them, then give them the food. The church body supplied the food, and we all were asked to participate in filling the shelves. (Our church still gives generously to those in need, but in different ways now.)

I gave very little—only what I did not want on my own shelves any longer. An expired can of cream of celery soup. A box of mac n’ cheese that my family wasn’t fond of. A dented can of water chestnuts.

I’m ashamed now to admit it, but I felt justified at the time. My heart was all wrong, but it took the Spirit’s prompting while I was reading the Word to bring me to my knees.

Malachi 1:8 says of the Israelites’ sacrifices, “’And when you offer the blind as a sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? Offer it then to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you favorably?’ says the LORD of hosts.”

Giving dented cans of water chestnuts is the same as offering the lame, the sick, the blind. Virtually no one would want that. I could not offer that to the governor—he would not be pleased. What I wasn’t considering was that my gift should have been as unto the Lord. I was offering expired, unwanted, dented “gifts” to the Lord. I sacrificed nothing because it cost me nothing. In truth, it was no sacrifice to get rid of unwanted things. (I had to face the same attitude when I took a closer look at clothing I gave to a clothing ministry.)

I justified my sin with these excuses:

“Let someone with more resources pick up the slack.”

“I gave, didn’t I?”

“If they’re truly hungry, they’ll be glad to have it.”

“I already give of my time—do I have to give money, too?”

I wonder if I’d had to put my name on the gift, I would’ve given differently. (And now we must add the pride of reputation to the sin of selfishness.)

The reason this was sin FOR ME (not necessarily you) was because I really could have given differently—and certainly with a different attitude. We all know it isn’t “how much” we give—we all have different resources available, and the Lord asks different things of each of us. But the Bible makes it clear that to give a worthless thing is unacceptable, because the gift should be as unto the Lord.

“So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).

Father, we ask for a pure heart in our giving. Reveal to us our ever-lurking sins, that we may confess and forsake them, and receive Your forgiveness.