05/25/2026
In this age of selfishness, and the hoarding to ourselves the riches of the earth, it is easy to give a tithe, and say it is enough, but that is just what God told us to set aside for His purposes. Is by tithing, or by our words, the only ways we have been asked to praise God, or is there more? Are we to adhere to the law, or go beyond it as Jesus did to feed the hungry, and give drink to the thirsty... even as He did for us with His own blood and body during communion.
“So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.
Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”
Hebrews 13:12, 15-16 ESV
The sacrifice of praise goes beyond words; it is sharing what we have. So, what do you have to share? For the rich man he might think money, or property is enough. For the healer it might be bandages, or medical equipment that he considers sufficient. For a farmer it might be beans, and meat from his storehouse. Yet for those with little or no worldly possessions the response is so often “I have nothing to share”, and yet they have the greatest bounty of all, and the greatest gift imaginable... themselves.
Several years ago, my mother and father-in-law had reached a point in their lives where the simplest of things had become hard. I thought about their predicament for a while and then decided that I would give them a gift of myself. I went about mowing their lawn, changing lightbulbs, doing their taxes, and so much more. Then something amazing happened, what had begun as a gift of love to my wife’s parents became much, much, greater than that, it became a sacrifice of praise to God... and His blessings fell upon me like rain. You see, there was never any desire for recompense in the work I was doing, nor for the care I was providing them with. In the beginning my reward had only been the love I felt for them, and yet the Lord used this to sanctify me, and to foster a deeper relationship between Himself and me. My sacrifice of self, of my time, and my labor, became an offering of love to God Himself, and was returned to me in bountiful riches of faith.
The sacrifice of the man who thinks he has nothing is the greatest offering of all, it is this sacrifice that most closely reflects that of Jesus. You see... praise is more than words... it is action. We praise God every time we say I love you to a person in need with our actions. In doing this we are telling God that He is great, and that we trust in Him to sustain us as we give of the little we have, and ourselves. When we praise Him in this way we find that there is nothing more important to us than to imitate Him. You have heard the saying that “Imitation is the greatest form of flattery”, well flattery means to give excessive compliments, but that is impossible for us to do when it comes to God, and Jesus. In the world of worship, and faith, imitating our Lord is the greatest form of PRAISE and there is no way we can give to Him in excess.!
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”
Romans 12:1 ESV
Are we ready to give more than worldly things as praise offerings? Are we prepared to offer the greatest praise of all… ourselves?
Prayer:
Father, I thank you for providing such a rich and valuable example of praising you through the life and actions of your Son Jesus Christ. I thank you for providing us a means of praising you when our voices fail, our pens run dry of ink, and we are impoverished in the world. I thank you for giving the least of us the greatest tool of praise... ourselves, by offering the fruit of our physical hands in labor. When others see us serving you in this way by loving our neighbors it shouts your name to them, and praises you in ways that words cannot express. When a rich man gives greatly from his storehouse we admire him, but when these gifts are accompanied by the giving of himself in sweat and humble physical sacrifice, then we see it as praising you to new heights. Bless us as we praise you father, even as you bless the least of us. Bless us as we give of ourselves in your name, and the name of Jesus. Teach the greatest of us to praise you as the humble already know how, and let no man claim to lift you up in praise more than he who offers himself to you in service without any thought of worldly compensation or desire for heavenly esteem. Hear our praise in the sighs of our labor, and our groans of great toil, even as the moans of Jesus echoed from Calvary as He called out to you for us... selfless… and offering His suffering for us as praise to you! Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God, and greatly to be praised!
“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”
Hebrews 13:16 ESV
Lord, take the best of me… not what I have made, but my body… which you yourself have made, and breathed life into.
Amen! Amen! Amen!
Rich Forbes