Leviticus 19:19-25: a reflection

19“‘You shall keep my statutes. “‘You shall not cross-breed different kinds of animals. “‘You shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed; “‘Don’t wear a garment made of two kinds of material. 20“‘If a man lies carnally with a woman who is a slave girl, pledged to be married to another man, and not ransomed or given her freedom; they shall be punished. They shall not be put to death, because she was not free. 21He shall bring his trespass offering to the LORD, to the door of the Tent of Meeting, even a ram for a trespass offering. 22The priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of the trespass offering before the LORD for his sin which he has committed; and the sin which he has committed shall be forgiven him. 23“‘When you come into the land, and have planted all kinds of trees for food, then you shall count their fruit as forbidden. For three years it shall be forbidden to you. It shall not be eaten. 24But in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, for giving praise to the LORD. 25In the fifth year you shall eat its fruit, that it may yield its increase to you. I am the LORD your God.

Among these laws is one about fruit trees. When the people planted trees in the land, they were to count the fruit of the first three years as forbidden; but in the fourth year, all its fruit was to be holy, an offering of praise to the LORD; and only in the fifth year could they eat it themselves. Before they could enjoy the fruit of their own trees, the first full harvest, the fourth year's fruit, belonged to God, set apart as holy, given to him in praise.

Notice the principle: the first fruit was God's, before the people took any for themselves. They had planted the trees, tended them, waited years for them to bear; and when the fruit finally came, the first full harvest was not theirs to enjoy, but God's, an offering of praise. Before they took their own share, they gave God his, the first and the holy part. God was to receive the firstfruits, before they consumed the rest.

That principle of giving God the first and best, before we take for ourselves, runs through Scripture. We are prone to take care of ourselves first, and to give God what is left over, if anything. But the pattern God sets is the reverse: give him the first and the best, the firstfruits, before taking our own share. This applies to our resources, our time, our energy: giving God the first portion, not the leftovers. Honor God with the firstfruits. Before you take your own share of your resources and time, give God his, the first and the best, as an offering of praise. Let God have the firstfruits of what he has given you, not merely what remains after you have taken your fill.

Lord, in the law of the fruit trees, the first full harvest belonged to you, set apart as holy, an offering of praise, before your people could eat any themselves. Teach me that principle of giving you the first and best. I am prone to take care of myself first and to give you what is left over, if anything. But your pattern is the reverse: to give you the firstfruits, before I take my own share. Help me honor you with the first portion of my resources, my time, my energy, not merely the leftovers. Before I take my own fill, help me give you yours, the first and the best, as an offering of praise. Let you have the firstfruits of all you have given me, and let giving to you come first, not last.