What About Reluctant Service?

Of course, we must not let love of self outweigh love of God and people. Otherwise, there is a real danger that we may render only halfhearted, reluctant service.  We could even begin to develop some resentment, feeling upset that we cannot live our life purely according to our own desires.  This happened to some Israelites  who lost their love for God but still rendered some service to him our of a sense of duty.  What was the result?  Serving God became "a weariness" to them. -Malachi 1:13. 

Any offerings made to God should always be "sound," without defect,  the "best" available. (Leviticus 22:17-20; Exodus 23:19) Instead of giving Jehovah the best of their animals, however, people in Malachi's day began to offer those the really did not want themselves.  What was Jehovah's reaction?  He told the priests:  "When you present a blind animal for offering [you say]: 'It is nothing bad.' And when you present a lame animal or a sick one: 'It is nothing bad.'  Bring it near, please, to your governor. Will he find pleasure in you, or will he receive you kindly? . . .And you have brought something torn away, and the lame one, and the sick one; yes, you have brought it as a gift. Can I take pleasure in it at your hand?" -Malachi 1:8, 13. 

How might this happen to any of us?  Our sacrifices might became "a weariness" to us if we lack a truly willing heart and spirit.  (Exodus 35:5, 21, 22; Leviticus 1:3; Psalm 54:6; Hebrews 13:15, 16) For example, Does Jehovah get the leftovers of our time? 

Can anyone seriously think that it would have  been acceptable to God if a well-meaning family member or a zealous Levite somehow forced an unwilling Israelite to select his best animal for sacrifice when he really did not want to offer it?   (Isaiah 29:13; Matthew 15:7, 8) Jehovah rejected such sacrifices and eventually the people who offered them. -Hosea 4:6; Matthew 21:43. 

Next time: Delight to Do God's Will

From the Watchtower magazine, 2000