Genesis 4:3-6 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

Did God disrespect Cain?

I say no. If God had disrespected Cain, God would have understood Cain’s reaction. God made it plain to me that Cain’s attitude was the result of disappointment in not getting the respect he felt he was due. Cain worked for respect.

Abel gained respect not for his keeping of the sheep but rather the sacrifice. Abel gave up something he cared for, loved, and it wounded his soul to make that sacrifice.

While the scriptures say that God is no respecter of persons, it does not say that God is a disrespecter of persons. Let me put it another way.

If you love the Lord, God respects that. If you love sin, God respects that. You have made your choice and God respects your choice. Those two choices have two distinctive consequences. Love and live. Sin and die. It is just that simple.

We complicate things with our expectation of respect for what we do in this life. We expect respect from mankind for the good we do. Fair enough, it is worthy of man’s respect. God even told us to give respect where respect is due.

He did not say give disrespect where respect is not due. We cannot show God’s love with disrespect. We should follow God’s example set before us in Cain.

“Why are you angry? Why are feeling disappointed?”

Acts 1:6-8 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Put yourself in the place of those asking this question of Jesus, if you can. Their only concern for that moment was the restoration of the kingdom of Israel. Did Jesus answer the question?

If it were me and I was only concerned with the restoration of the kingdom of Israel, I would hear what I wanted to hear. “You are going to receive the power.”

There is a terrible misunderstanding about power. Some do greatly err in believing that having the power is controlling the power and that they can have things their way. “I get what I want, all I have to do is use my power.”

To the majority of you, this sounds absurd, and rightly so, but I have met many who think exactly that way. Rarely do they come to the proper conclusion of the real power of God spoken of here specifically.

“I will give you the power to love the unlovely, to show my love to them and bring them out of darkness into my glorious light.”

But that isn’t what I wanted?

“No, this is better.”

You mentioned Samaria, I don’t want to love a Samaritan.

“Okay Jonah, have it your way. Go on that fishing trip you have planned instead.”