Leviticus 3:12-17: a reflection

12“‘If his offering is a goat, then he shall offer it before the LORD. 13He shall lay his hand on its head, and kill it before the Tent of Meeting; and the sons of Aaron shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar. 14He shall offer from it as his offering, an offering made by fire to the LORD; the fat that covers the innards, and all the fat that is on the innards, 15and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, he shall take away. 16The priest shall burn them on the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire, for a pleasant aroma; all the fat is the LORD’s. 17“‘It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings, that you shall eat neither fat nor blood.’”

In the law of the peace offering, the fat, regarded as the best and richest part, is set apart for the LORD: all the fat is the LORD's. The priest shall burn them on the altar as an offering made by fire, the law says, for a pleasant aroma; all the fat is the LORD's. In the offering, the fat, considered the best and richest portion, was not to be kept or eaten by the offerer, but given to God, burned on the altar as his portion. All the fat is the LORD's: the best part belonged to God, given to him, not held back. The principle was that God receives the best, the choicest portion, not the leftovers. This shows the principle of giving God the best portion, not the leftovers. Give God the best portion, not the leftovers. The best belongs to God; do not hold it back. Offer God the choicest part, not the remnant. God is honored when we give him our best, not what is left over.

Notice what was given to God in this offering. The fat, regarded in that world as the best, richest, choicest part of the animal, was set apart for the LORD, burned on the altar as his portion; all the fat is the LORD's. The offerer did not keep the best for himself and give God the rest; the best part belonged to God, given to him. This expresses a principle that runs through Scripture: that God is to receive the best, the choicest, the first, not the leftovers, not what we do not want, not the remnant after we have taken the best for ourselves. This searches how we give to God. It is easy to give God the leftovers: the leftover time after we have spent the best of our energy elsewhere; the leftover resources after we have taken what we want; the remnant of our attention, our effort, our devotion. But the principle of the offering is that the best belongs to God: he is to receive the choicest portion, the first and best of what we have, not what is left over. God is honored when we give him our best, and dishonored when we give him only the remnant while keeping the best for ourselves. We do well to give God the best, the choicest portion of our time, resources, and devotion, not merely the leftovers. Give God the best portion of your time, resources, and devotion, not the leftovers. The best belongs to God; do not keep it for yourself and give him the remnant. God is honored by our best, not by what is left over. Offer God the first and choicest, not what you do not want.

That is worth taking to heart, for the best belongs to God, and we do well to give him the choicest portion, not the leftovers, as the fat, the best part, was the LORD's. We can give God the leftovers, the remnant of our time, resources, and devotion after we have taken the best for ourselves; but the best part of the offering belonged to God. Give him your best. Do not keep the best for yourself and give God only the remnant; give him the choicest portion of your time, resources, and devotion, for the best belongs to him. Give God the best, the choicest portion of your time, resources, and devotion, rather than the leftovers, as in the law of the peace offering the fat, regarded as the best and richest part, was set apart for the LORD, burned on the altar as his portion, since all the fat is the LORD's; for in the offering the fat, considered the best and richest portion, was not to be kept or eaten by the offerer but given to God, the best part belonging to him and not held back, the principle being that God receives the best and choicest portion, not the leftovers, which runs through Scripture, that God is to receive the best, the first, and not the remnant after we have taken the best for ourselves, and this searches how we give to God, since it is easy to give God the leftovers, the leftover time after we have spent the best of our energy elsewhere, the leftover resources after we have taken what we want, and the remnant of our attention and devotion, but the principle of the offering is that the best belongs to God, who is to receive the choicest portion and the first and best of what we have, not what is left over, so that God is honored when we give him our best and dishonored when we give him only the remnant while keeping the best for ourselves, and we do well to give God the best, the choicest portion of our time, resources, and devotion.

Lord, in the law of the peace offering, the fat, regarded as the best and richest part, is set apart for you: all the fat is the LORD's. The priest shall burn them on the altar as an offering made by fire, the law says, for a pleasant aroma; all the fat is the LORD's. In the offering, the fat, considered the best and richest portion, was not to be kept or eaten by the offerer, but given to you, burned on the altar as your portion. All the fat is the LORD's: the best part belonged to you, given to you, not held back. The principle was that you receive the best, the choicest portion, not the leftovers. Show me what was given to you in this offering. The fat, regarded as the best, richest, choicest part, was set apart for you, burned on the altar as your portion. The offerer did not keep the best for himself and give you the rest; the best part belonged to you. This expresses a principle that runs through Scripture: that you are to receive the best, the choicest, the first, not the leftovers, not what we do not want, not the remnant after we have taken the best for ourselves. This searches how I give to you. It is easy to give you the leftovers: the leftover time after I have spent the best of my energy elsewhere; the leftover resources after I have taken what I want; the remnant of my attention, my effort, my devotion. But the principle of the offering is that the best belongs to you: you are to receive the choicest portion, the first and best of what I have, not what is left over. You are honored when I give you my best, and dishonored when I give you only the remnant while keeping the best for myself. Take that to my heart. Keep me from giving you only the leftovers while keeping the best for myself; help me give you the best, Lord, the choicest portion of my time, resources, and devotion, not the remnant, for the best belongs to you and you are honored by my best.