The Gift That Reveals

March 15, 2026

Dr. Paul Cannings

If your son or daughter were to come to you unexpectedly and present you with a gift that clearly required a great deal of preparation, you would probably be very excited. You would recognize that your child was demonstrating appreciation for the love you have shown them and for who you are in their life.

If a similar situation took place with your husband or wife, your response would likely be the same. When something like this happens, several things make the gesture especially meaningful. There was no special occasion prompting the gift, yet it was carefully thought out and required a great deal of effort. It is obvious that the giver was simply seeking to make you feel appreciated and loved for all that you do.

Isn’t it interesting that God never told Adam or Eve to bring Him a gift? Yet Cain and Abel both knew to offer gifts to God (Genesis 4:1–8), and Hebrews 11:4 tells us that Abel acted in faith (Romans 10:17). This suggests that Adam and Eve must have taught their children something about honoring God with offerings. There was a clear sense of appreciation for who God is and what He had done for them.

The same principle is seen with Abraham and Melchizedek. No law required Abraham to give to God, yet he chose to give because of God’s goodness in protecting him during the battle to rescue Lot and his family. There is an old saying: “If you see a turtle on a fence post, you can be pretty sure it did not get there by itself.” In the same way, Adam, Eve, Abel, and Abraham understood that:

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” (James 1:17)

The same was not true for Cain. He put little effort into his offering and brought a gift that was not from the heart. In contrast, when his parents and Abel gave, their gifts were pleasing to God. Without any command from God, without a special festival, and without a designated day of worship, they demonstrated genuine appreciation for what God had done for them and for who He is in their lives.

When a gift comes from the heart, it reflects the value the giver places on the one receiving it. Likewise, when we struggle to give to God, it reveals something about the state of our relationship with Him. As Scripture reminds us:

“Now this I say: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:6–7)