A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’

Malachi 1:6

I think we can all understand what it means for a son to honor his father, right? And I think we understand what dishonor looks like as well.

“How have we despised your name?” The scene Malachi describes here reminds me of Jesus’ parable of judgment of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25 who responded to Jesus with “‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?” (Matthew 25:44).

Like the goats, the priests above questioned the LORD’s accusation of dishonoring His name. How?

When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the LORD of hosts. And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the LORD of hosts.

Malachi 1:8-9

The priests knew the law required a pure sacrifice, not blind or lame, or sick animals and still, they brought less than the best to present to God and then expected the LORD to bless them!

And so I think about what I offer God. Do I rush through my prayers or Bible reading? Am I giving second best or less?