We read in Genesis 4:2-5 that God looked on with favor to Abel, but was not happy with Cain’s offering. Why? Because Cain didn’t bring his best. Cain didn’t bring excellence. To excel is to do better or to improve. Cain didn’t do that and God couldn’t accept his gift with favor.
Read on and see that Cain got really upset with this turn of events. God asks him why his face is so downcast and warns him that if he wallows in his self pity, sin is waiting at his door and will become his new master. He also tells him that if he does the right thing, it will be accepted.
Here’s the key to this verse-the right thing is our best. God expects our best. Why? Because He’s given us every good thing to work with and He knows that if we bring our best, we’ll feel good, others will feel good and we’ll be encouraged to keep doing better.
If you’ve ever been involved in team work, you’ll know what it’s like when someone doesn’t pull their weight, but you’ll also know what a pleasure it is to have someone who excels in their role in the team. If we excel, if we strive for excellence in using our gifts to meet the needs of others, the whole group will improve and everyone will benefit.
Another point that comes from Ephesians is this: When we aim to please people, we do just enough to impress them. However, God is not interested in 'just enough'! That's why we are encouraged in this verse to do everything that we do, as if we are doing it for God, because then we will do our best!
I don't know what you're facing in lifetoday, but our God does. So let me encourage you this morning to face each new and/or old challenge with the mindset that you are doing what you do for God, and not for anyone else. You will find that, by the power of the Holy Spirit, your selfish and flesh-motivated ideas and acts will fade away and you'll be left with God's strength, God's authority and God's power to make that changes that you need to make!
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