How Do We Choose What To Give?

I figured a Christmas picture would work with the topic of giving!

For Christmas I got a book called The Intellectual Devotional.  It covers 7 different subjects and rotates through them.  One page for every day of the year.  One of the pages was about Cain and Abel from the bible.  This version was a written a little differently than the KJV of the Bible and it made me think.  Here is the quote:

"It is said that Abel thought very hard about what kind of sacrifice would make God happiest.  He decided to sacrifice one of his precious lambs.  Cain, on the other hand, thought only about what he needed least.  He sacrificed some fruit and grain.  God clearly preferred Abel's sacrifice."

This made me think about my giving.  We know from Matthew 25:40 that anything we do (or don't do) for anyone is like doing it to God himself.  So when I help others do I stop and think about what God would want me to do for them the most?  Or do I think of how I can help in the least inconvenient, and most enjoyable way for me?  I know I have a hard time pushing myself out of my comfort zone, but what if doing so would be the most helpful thing for someone -- and therefore the most helpful thing for God? 

I'm sure we often do good things without thinking of God at all and that's not all bad!  At least we are giving!  But I hope to not ever choose to give only the thing that is the least inconvenient, the easiest and most comfortable thing to give.

Trisa, Dan and Jake

Derek's legs, Kayli and Bryce.  Chewy is the Golden Retriever and Teddy is wearing his plaid.