"Bring the Best of the Firstfruits"

"Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the LORD your God." (Exodus 23:19a)

Many of the laws found in Exodus, Deuteronomy and Leviticus deal with the offerings that the Israelites were to bring to the LORD. The instruction is clear, they were to bring their best to God. Included in this is the idea of firstfruits. Whether it was the offspring of their cattle and sheep (Ex22:30) or the crops in their fields, they were to bring the first to God.
"Set apart for the LORD your God every firstborn male of your herds and flocks. Do not put the firstborn of your cows to work, and do not shear the firstborn of your sheep." (Deut. 15: 19) God called for the first to be His. Additionally, He called for the offering to be without defect. If the firstborn had some defect, it was not to be sacrificed to God. (Deut. 15: 21) God demanded the first and the best offering from His people. Why? Why would God want His people to give out of the first from a harvest? Why would he demand the best of the firstborn?
Let's pull over and park here for minute. I remember well when I started dating Michelle. I wanted to see her all the time. I wanted to talk to her on the phone every day. When I would go to see her, I would wear my nicest jeans and shirt. I made sure I smelled nice and my teeth were freshly brushed. When I considered my plans for the weekend, she always came first. When I got paid on my job, I thought of how I could spend some of the money on her (first). She always came first in my thinking. She got the best of me, the best of my time and the best of my labors.
I wonder how things would have gone if she got my leftovers? If I made plans for the weekend and then I considered what time I had left to spend with her. If I spent all my money and then tried to find something free for us to do. If I showed up at her house in dirty clothes and smelly. I wonder if she would have thought I really cared about her? Of course not! Michelle had the right to expect that I would offer her my best. She deserved nothing less.
OK, back to God. What would I demonstrate if I gave Him my leftovers? My time. My money. My talents. He commands that we "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."  (Deut. 6:5) He deserves our best. He has given us all that we have, all of our material blessings and all of our spiritual blessings. It is all His, already! He entrusted us with the care of His things and the conditions are that we honor Him with the blessings we have received. Our love for Him is to be complete. If we are to demonstrate our love, then it must be from the best and first of what we have and what we receive.
May we determine to give God the best in every area of our lives. The best of our time, our talent and our treasure. He deserves nothing less than our very best. God bless you as you "bring the best of the firstfruits".