The cause : Jealousy over God accepting one person's work and not another's. Both were doing a 'good work' - sacrifice. Yet God accepted only ones offering.

There is a powerful lesson here!

It is very possible for good deeds to be unacceptable to God because either they are not done with the right motives or not done as He would like them to be done. This realization is HUGE! Cain was doing a good deed, but God did not accept his sacrifice because his heart was not right (either done out of jealousy to one-up Abel, or done grudgingly, or the grain offering is only acceptable unless preceded by a sin offering - we are not told). Similarly, when we endeavor to do good works as Christians, are we sure we are not doing them to pacify our conscience, be accepted in society, or dreaming of being recognized for them? If that is so, they are going to be unacceptable and be wood, hay and stubble!! Even if we do great works and miracle, and chase out demons, it is still possible for God to say "I never knew you" because we say that it is WE who did these things, not GOD who did them THROUGH us!

May the Spirit purge our flesh from offering dead works! Be transformed, let Him work through you, put no confidence in your own abilities ( great though they may be ) - look to please Him only with your best!

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (John 15:5)