Cutting Away What Doesn't Belong

Hebrews 11:4-5

By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain’s. Through this he received approval as righteous, God himself giving approval to his gifts; he died, but through his faith he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken so that he did not experience death; and “he was not found, because God had taken him.” For it was attested before he was taken away that “he had pleased God.”

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I'm lookin' for another kind of love
Oh Lordy, how I need it.
The kind that likes to leap without a shove
Oh, honey, best believe it.
To save a lot of time and foolish pride I'll say what's on my mind, girl
You loved me, you hate me, you cut me down to size.
You blinded me with love and yeah it opened up my eyes

"The Other Side" recorded by Aerosmith, written by Steven Tyler and Jim Vallance from "Pump"

Here's a question that I have never really had answered: What was so almighty acceptable about Abel's sacrifice? Is this how the Lord says, "Cauliflower? Shoot, I'll have more brisket!"  If it was, it would explain a lot about my diet and Texas dietary practices in general.

There are some theories. One is that this is just the first example that the Lord prefers the younger brothers. You see a lot of this in Genesis, but it doesn't say so. One is that while Cain just brought some fruit of the vine, Abel brought the best of the meat--the good stuff with the fat. Even the Lord likes good marbling. Well, again while this points to the Lord having an affection for good Kansas City BBQ, scripture doesn't say that Cain didn't bring first fruit.

Others say that this is just scripture introducing sibling rivalry which is truly one of the recurring themes of Genesis. Hebrews then reminds us that while he died, through his faith he still speaks. Able pleased God even though he was murdered.

The Book of Hebrews also reminds us that Enoch who never tasted death is in the Lord's presence. He is in the Lord's presence just as Able is even though he didn't die. Enoch was taken away because he pleased God, as did Abel.

Both of them were looking for a different kind of love, and as Steven Tyler sings, O Lordy how they need it! It is God's love that leaps without shoving, and it is our love that is to leap without being shoved too. We are called to go and to follow. We are to seize our foolish pride and declare what is true. We are to share our hope, God's love for us with the world.

It is this way that God prunes us to become what we are called to be. It is how God makes us what we are and cuts away what doesn't belong. In killing his brother, Cain cut away what God still loved and Cain found harsh discipline. Still, God doesn't hate as we are disciplined, as the imperfect is cut away, as we are cut down to size, but what is left is perfect.

It is said that when asked how he could carve such marvelous things from marble, Michelangelo would say that he would simply cut away the excess revealing what the stone contained all along. God cuts us to reveal what is there all along. In Enoch, in Able, in us, and yes, maybe even in Cain too.

This is our hope, That in our sinful imperfection the Lord sees what belongs to God.