"Take ye from among you an offering unto the Lord: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it." "The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the Lord, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring." Ex. 35:5, 295Take ye from among you an offering unto the Lord: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the Lord; gold, and silver, and brass, (Exodus 35:5)
29The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the Lord, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the Lord had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses. (Exodus 35:29).
The difference between a willing heart and a wise heart appears to be that one is qualified to give and implies devotion, the other is fitted to work and requires divinely-given wisdom.
As God expects from each young believer "a willing heart" and as to many He has given a "wise heart" as well, this chapter (Ex. 35) will furnish us all with much instruction and encouragement.
We find three things connected with the first service here spoken of: Firstly, it must flow from true devotion, "a willing heart." Secondly, it was accepted equally whether little or much. And thirdly, it was all done "to the Lord." Now this service does not flow from gift ("wise-hearted" service does) but is within the compass of the little child just saved or of the aged Christian, of the most uninstructed or the most enlightened child of God. It does require a heart for the Lord.
It may consist in little things or great, giving one tract or a million, contributing some mite towards the fund of a preaching room, or hiring a dozen gospel halls, giving a cup of cold water or feeding five thousand. The amount of the gift is not the question, but what is of all importance is whence it comes and whither it goes. It must proceed from a willing heart and it must be done to the Lord, and thus the fragrance of the gift will reach far beyond the recipient, right up into the presence of Him to whom it is done. Think of this, dear young believers, and study well the lessons of this chapter. Surely some timid, retiring souls will be comforted and encouraged when they read of the man who brought his humble offering of shittim wood and goat's hair, and they may be led to consider if there is not some little work they can do for Christ. I am persuaded that none are exempted from this service.
There is a service, as we have seen, dependent upon gift (Ex. 36) and a very blessed one, one in which women are included (Ex. 35:25, 2625And all the women that were wise hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen. 26And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats' hair. (Exodus 35:25‑26)). But there is also a service not dependent on any gift (save that of eternal life) and which God expects from each of His children. It is interesting too to see that the "wise-hearted" service depends in measure upon "willing-hearted" as the latter brought the materials which the former used. So now, many a young believer cannot preach who can yet invite souls to the gospel and visit them afterward. Many are not able to write a tract who can yet assist to circulate it. Those who are not able to lecture or speak to Christians can still help to provide a room for those who can; they may not even be able to teach a class, but yet can visit the scholars.
The great secret is not to be above doing little things Many a one brings nothing because he cannot bring gold and precious stones, and has nothing but goats' hair or badgers' skins.
Let such learn a lesson from the study of this chapter, and not wait for great things or a "wise heart" before they render the service of a "willing one!" "God loveth a cheerful giver." "For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not." 2 Cor. 8:1212For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. (2 Corinthians 8:12).