When our grandson, Nate, was seven years old, he asked his grandmother if he could go up to our garden and pick some flowers for her. My wife, Marilyn, gave him an old pair of scissors and told him to find something nice. She was thinking along the lines of marigolds and zinnias. But when Nate returned a few minutes later, he was beaming. In his hands was the huge, bright yellow head of a sunflower. “Grandma, this is for you. It’s the best one,” he exclaimed excitedly. Nate aspired to give his grandma the biggest and best flower in the garden.

That sunflower head had been atop a sunflower plant that stretched up about ten feet, almost three times his height. The stalk of that sunflower was an inch thick. But Nate was not deterred. He had tugged at that plant until it snapped off just above the ground. He used that little pair of scissors to “saw” and twist that flower head until it was free from the stalk. But Nate was ecstatic because he had given his best to someone he loved. He gave the finest he could find.

Now, when I consider all that God has done for me…a beautiful creation…a wonderful family …bountiful material blessings…fellowship with believers…and above all, a Savior, Jesus, who paid my debt of sin on the cross so I could have forgiveness and the hope of life eternal…I need to ask myself the question. Am I giving my best to the Lord?

Why is it that we only go “half-throttle” for Him so often? Why are we satisfied to give Him our leftovers? Why do we not always strive for excellence in our service to Him? Why are we lax in sharing what Jesus has done for us with the people we rub elbows with each day? Why do we not give Him our best, all the time? Forgive us, Lord. Remind us, in these days, to give our best to the Master…

  • Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (I Cor. 10:31)
  • Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might. (Eccl. 9:10)
  • Honor the Lord…with the first fruits of all your crops. (Prov.3:9)
  • Worship the Lord with gladness. (Psalms 100:2)
  • Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. (Matt.22:37) (NIV).

God gave us His absolute best, His Son, Jesus, to be our Savior! Are you, am I, giving our very best, our finest, to our Lord?

Carl L. Brubaker – CBC Treasurer