Thoughts on offerings as worship

Give all thou canst; high Heaven rejects the lore
Of nicely-calculated less or more.
-William Wordsworth

From my teacher: This morning, when I was reading an important New York
paper, I noticed an article on the dynamics of gift-giving.
This article quoted a distinguished professor of sociology
as saying that in every gift there is a reciprocal
relationship, even if it is not conscious. In other words,
when you are making a gift, you are expecting a gift in
return.

Not only that, there are very subtle social gradations:
gifts to longtime friends, to recent friends, to
acquaintances, to possible benefactors. All these factors
come into play when choosing the gift. No wonder shopping
for gifts is so terribly time-consuming. No wonder people
feel confused and inadequate about what to give.

But the spiritual approach is very simple. Whatever you give
- it may be a check to a worthy cause, it may be
clothes to a person who is cold, it may be food to the
hungry, it may be medical help to the sick - do it
without thinking of getting anything in return.
Do it as a service to God, not reluctantly, but with joy.
_________________________________________________________
As I consider the end of the year and the lack of "extra money" or income that I am experiencing...["the throes of entrepreneurship"!] rather than focusing on that temporary state, I am this morning reminded that The Lord Himself has promised that He provides all I need, when I need it.
My bills are going to be paid, I sleep in a warm and leak proof house, I have
meaningful work, I have a loving family and faith community. I have faith in Christ. There is Hope.
I have received abundant life--all grace gifts from the Hand of The Sustainer.
"Grace upon grace..."
I can do no less than to give extravagantly, from my bounty,
without any thought of how I will "be able to make it"...indeed, "making it" is in the Hands
of My Lord Christ.
I have reason to praise Him without restraint.
Throughout mankind's history--- giving an offering is the ultimate act of worship and praise.
The tribes in Canaan and the Negev gave offerings--indeed even detestable ones-their children--as a gift to Molech...their false deity.
This was a reciprocal offering. They thought Molech would assist them with bountiful rain and sun for their crops to grow and their livestock to fatten up...so they gave their offspring to Molech to appease Him so He would be a benefactor to them.
Thankfully, things have changed over the past 3,000 years. Our world view and belief systems are evolved a bit since then...we have been taught much about what Reality* is. We know more about Who is Reality, and what He does to sustain His Children.
I need no more than what He provides. I can give without thought of
expecting a gift in return, for indeed, He started the giving cycle, so I cannot possibly give more than He has already! Do I really believe this?
Do you? Do I give like I have unending abundance and provision?
No.
But I need to awaken to the FACT that I can, and am enabled to do so, according to my faith. After all, remember Bonhoeffer's quote:

"Only he who believes is obedient and only he who is obedient believes."