The Lords calf.[ Malachi 1 v 6-9]

I am studying the book of Malachi,it is a sad book,the restored people of
Israel,who had returned from Babylon,were treating God with disrespect.
One of they ways they were doing this was to offer animals that were crippled,and diseased,this was contrary to Gods law.It reminds me of a story
I read many years ago,it was about a farmer who told his wife that their best cow,had given birth to twin calves,one red,and the other white.The farmer said to his wife I feel I should dedicate one of these calves to the Lord.When they are grown up ,we will sell them,we will keep money from one of them for ourselves,and the money from the other we will give to the
Lords work.Which one are we going to dedicate to the Lord,the farmer
relied he had not decided yet.A few months later,he came in looking sad,
and told his wife,the white calf had died,the Lords calf had died,his wife
said but we never  decided which one was the Lords calf,I had always decided the white one was the Lords calf.Dr M.L.Jones comments on this
it is always the Lords calf that dies.
                                              A  prayer.
Dear God help us to honour you in our giving,and not to give you second best,in Jesus name Amen.