Proverbs 21:27

The book of Proverbs gives us insights into so many different areas of life. The book gives us instruction on how to live our lives for God. Here is a proverb that gives us insight about sacrifice: 

Proverbs 21:27 (ESV)

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;

how much more when he brings it with evil intent.

When Cain and Abel brought their sacrifices to God in Genesis 4 we are told that God rejected Cain's offering and accepted Abels.   The reason He rejected Cain's offering from the ground was not the content of the offering but the attitude of the heart.   The same is true of Saul who offered lambs and bounty from a recent war.  However, he was told NOT to offer until Samuel arrived to lead the offering.   Those who offer to God for the wrong reasons tend to do so to sooth their conscience, or to give to get, or to impress others.    True sacrifice to God begins in the heart.  As the above proverb states, the "wicked"  and those who have the wrong hearts are an abomination since they bring their offering with an evil heart.   God knows why we offer, why we give to others, why we tithe, why we sing and worship on Sunday.  He knows the intent of the heart.   We ought to be careful in our worship and sacrifice to God to ask God to clean our heart before we attempt to worship Him.   He wants us to come to Him in a pure way before we come to Him with a temporal gift.