As Your Garden Grows
The joy and importance of first fruits
God’s first recorded lesson in spiritual growth is strangely intimate: a series of wistful fatherly questions in the sweeping narrative of Creation.
“Why are you angry?” Yahweh asks Cain, a disgruntled guy who could be my brother, could even be me. “Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?” (Genesis 4:6).
God’s questions seem to assume that Cain knows what’s right—and that readers countless centuries later will know, too. And yet from my earliest days as a Christian, I’ve struggled with the story of Cain’s failed offering. God’s rejection seems so picky. Cain was, after all, offering something to God—“some of the fruits of the soil” (Genesis 4:3). What exactly made his brother Abel’s offering—“fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock”—acceptable to Yahweh when Cain’s wasn’t (Genesis 4:4,5)? What might this story teach us about how to grow in faith and Godlikeness?
To get to that lesson, we have to go past the offering itself, past even the impulse to offer. Past Cain in his grain fields, breaking dirt with some pitiful prehistoric hand tool, past the time the Garden was fresh in memory, back to the essence of planting and nurturing and tilling. Back even to us in our own gardens, drawing our fingers through the dirt to drop seeds—pea, radish, broccoli—and then crumbling more dirt, patting, watering, waiting.
If you’ve ever had a garden, you know about working and waiting. You know, too, about the delight of harvest. Those first baby peas. Barely filled-out ears of sweet corn. Totally red tomatoes, ripened in the sun. After a winter of canned vegetables and shopworn produce, you gobble them greedily. Those first fruits are precious treasures you share only with your spouse, your children, your dearest friends. The last thing you want to do in those first days of harvest—when the digging and sowing and tending are still fresh in your memory—is offer to anyone but those you love best what you’ve labored to produce.
Later, when the garden overflows with green beans and cucumbers, and you’re sick of preparing them every possible way, you foist your abundance onto friends and colleagues in a great pretense of generosity. You carry grocery bags of overripe vegetables to church for those without gardens to sift through. You visit neighbors you barely know with your arms twisted into cornucopias of false largesse. And although your friends and neighbors feign gratitude, they’re no more fooled by that monster zucchini, too woody to cook, than God is by Cain’s offering.
What God shows Cain is this: He’s interested less in duty or obedience than in that first harvest. If we offer him anything at all, we must do so with the same delight we feel when serving up the season’s first peas, nestled in a dainty pink bowl, topped with sweet butter and a sprig of mint. God wants Cain to include him in that delight, to want to share with him, in the exact way Cain would want to share those peas with his family and most beloved friends. Out of heartfelt conviviality. Enthusiasm. Not out of shoulds of any kind, but out of love.
To grow spiritually, we must take to heart God’s first lesson. The only right thing, the only offering he’ll accept, the only satisfactory return on his fatherly love—indeed, the only return most earthly parents desire from their children—is to be loved just as he loves us. Spontaneously. Earnestly. Jealously. Crazily. With the impatient devotion of a newborn. Or of a new mother in that moment when her baby is first delivered into her arms.
Blessings,
Are you offering God your leftovers? Your frenzy and worry? Mere church attendance? The smug gratitude that accompanies your successes and unearned plenty? Or are you offering him your first fruits with delight?
Posted at 11:17 AM on June 14, 2007.
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Cain and Abel, the sons of Adam, differed widely in character. Abel had a spirit of loyalty to God: he saw justice and mercy in dealings with the fallen race, and gratefully accepted the hope of redemption. But Cain cherished feelings of rebellion, and murmured against God because of the curse pronounced upon the earth and upon the human race for Adam's sin...... These brother's were tested, as Adam had been tested before them, to prove wheather they would believe and obey the word of God. They were acquainted with the provision made for the salvation of man, and understood the system of offerings which God had ordained. They knew that these offerings were to express faith in the Saviour whom the offerings typified, and at the same time acknowledge their total dependence on Him for pardon: and they knew that by thus conforming to the divine plan for their redemption, they were giving proof to their obedience to the will of God. Without the shedding of blood there could be no remission of sin: and they were to show their faith in the blood of Christ as the promised atonement by offering the firstlings of the flock in sacrifice. Besides this, the first fruits of the earth were to be presented before the Lord as a thank offering......Abel pressented a sacrifice from the flock, in accordance with the Lord's directions........ but Cain, disregarding the Lord's direct and explicit command, presented only an offering of fruit.......Abel pleaded with his brother, .... but Cain determined to fllow his own will. ... he came before God with murmurings and infidility in his heart........he chose th course of self-dependence. He would not bring the lamb and mingle the blood with his offering ..Cain obeyed in building an altar, he obeyed in bringing a sacrifice, but he rendered on partial abedience. The essential part, the recognition of the need of a Redeemer, was left out.......Cain and Abel represent two classes that will exist in the world till the close of time. One class will avail themselves of the appointed sacrifice for sin: the other venture to depend upon their own merits: theirs is a sacrifice without the virture of devine mediation, and thus it is not able to bring man into favor with God. It is only thru the merits of Jesus that our transgressions can be pardoned.....................................True faith, which relies wholly upon Christ, will be manifested by obedience to all the requirements of God. From Adam's day to present time the great contrversy has been concerning obedience to God's law....>
quotes from: The Story of Patriarchs and Prophets pp71-73 .. by Ellen G. White
Posted by: linda on June 15, 2007
I have learned so many lessons about waiting since I began walking with God. One of the most amazing things happened just recently. My aunt Mary and my mother lived in a nursing home. I have asked God all my life to let me see just one angel. When I was sitting vigil at my aunt's passing, it finally came to me. I have had an angel all my life along with me in this beutiful lady I call Aunt Mary! What a profound lesson it taught me.
Posted by: christine on June 15, 2007
Gosh, what a convicting article!
Ashamedly, I have to admit my own meagre offering to my heavenly Father and Creator of the universe.
I am guilty not only of offering the last of my "fruits" (if any) in financial offering - something I used to do with pleasure - but of offering Him the last of my time as well!
Who am I to while my time away, doing as I please, and spending my money on myself, when God hovers patiently by my side waiting to embrace me in His presence, holding a list of people who could be blessed by my tithe?
And who am I, that the Creator of the universe would give His own first fruit - His Son Jesus Christ - to cleanse me from my sins, before I was even born?
Thank you for reminding me of this very important first lesson in having a two-way loving relationship with our Abba (daddy) in Heaven.
Bless you!
Posted by: Dana on June 15, 2007
Thank you for the above sharing. It makes me realize that my tithe should be the first to be given to the Almighty God who provided me with a job in the first place and everything else comes second.
Posted by: Teresia on June 18, 2007
Like many other Christians, i just thought that Abel was chosen (by God) and Cain wasnt. this made me believe that Abel could get away with things - because He had God's favour and not Cain.
Reading the article today, made me to go back to the Bible story. i saw 'the first fruits' offering by Abel vs Cain's. Cain's offering reminded me of people that 'force' you to accept their help/gifts etc.
I dont know if you have ever come across such a person. i know i have and there's quite a few of them. some say it is cultural. i dont know!
Some people tend to take it 'personal' when one 'rejects' their efforts/help/gift. whereas in some instances, there is nothing personal. and i believe that those instances, give 'the giver' an opportunity to search their own heart and motives. and at times, 'the giver' may realise that "the attempt and desire to give is not really about the potential receiver but about the giver".
I felt stirred by the part that says "if you do what is right, will you not be accepted?" (Gen 4:7)
It is my prayer for all of us, i.e. givers and receivers to seek God and His holyness in all that we do and especially in our 'transactions' and 'interactions' with others.
Posted by: Lumka on June 19, 2007
praise the Lord
thanks dear once again for reminding.
really i did mistake i committed to LORD and did not fullfill so many things.
as a human we fall into sin and we do not realize but need to remem,ber
He is always there who is from begining .
thanks a lot
may GOD BLESS YOU ....
Posted by: sheetal on June 25, 2007
Wow! You taught me a thing or two by way of this article. I too thought Abel was the chosen one and Cain could never measure up. But after this study of that bible story I understand not only it's biblical meaning, but how I am guilty of the same sin. You've definitely opened up my eyes and have inspired me to evaluate my heart and how and what I offer up to our Lord. God Bless and thank you!
Posted by: Carmen on September 5, 2007
No, this is generally not a problem. Each member fills out a class/work schedule at the beginning of each semester and then the labor czar(ina) fits everyone into the master labor schedule. Note, however, that you can only be excused from doing labor at a specific time if you can prove that you have class or work at that time (wanting to sleep in or wanting to study at a particular time are not considered legitimate reasons to not be able to do labor).
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Posted by: jollymandd on July 21, 2008