Greetings from Pastor Pat

Fat Adds Flavor

I am not sure how familiar you are with the story of Cain and Able. They were the sons of Adam and
Eve. Their relationship was a tragic one. When Cain killed Able it was the first recorded murder in the
Bible. But that is not why their story is an important one. Cain killed Able out of a jealous rage because God
accepted Abel’s sacrifice but did not accept his.

Cain was a farmer, a tiller of the soil. It appears that when it came time to make a sacrifice, Cain did so
without much forethought to the quantity and quality of his sacrifice. Able, on the other hand brought “the fat portions from some of the first born of his flock.” Able is a man after my own heart, and God’s too it would appear. Both knew what makes good meat. Fat, plenty of fat.

I love steaks as long as they are marbled with veins of fat. That’s what makes a good steak in my
opinion. When we lived in Blandon a man stopped by our home selling steaks. He said they were great
steaks. I looked at them. They were trimmed so close that there was literally no fat. Against my better judgment I bought some steaks and they were horrible. It was like eating cardboard.

It’s the fat that gives meat flavor and makes meat precious. Able knew that and so did God. God didn’t
want a sacrifice of some runt lamb, skinny and frail, God wanted a sacrifice of the very best, the fat portion. That’s what gives the offering flavor.

The message in the story of Cain and Able is this: there was forethought in Abel's gift. His relationship
with God was primary in his life. So when he thought of ways to honor God, his first choice was to give to God the very best that he had; not a scrub lamb, but a lamb from the best of the best. The same was not true for Cain. Again, it is implied that Cain did not put a lot of energy into the consideration of his offering. Yes, he brought an offering but because of the lackadaisical manor in which it was given, God did not receive it with the same appreciation as God did Abel’s.

God ask us to give serious considerations to our offering and to give the fat portions, the best we
have. In doing so, our faith grows, our spirit is fed and we honor the God with our body, mind and spirit.

​Pastor Pat