Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. Luke 6:38 KJV
The Context:
This is the equivalent of the Sermon on the Mount, when Jesus took time to teach his disciples about the principles of the kingdom they were coming into. As you read the entire chapter, you see references to the fact that the Christian life is not a passive one, where it is enough to just fold your arms and watch as things go by. All of the Christian life is about impacting the world I have been placed in: showing mercy, lending to and loving others, being kind, doing good to others, forgiving and in today's extract, giving to people. There is no room for just getting by; if my life will make sense as God intends, I have to live it like God intends, and the way to do that is by being different.
I note that nothing is said about the other person's reaction or reception to what I am doing. In fact, in most of the chapter, not much is said about the other person's reaction. It means to me that I do what I do, not first because it is convenient, but because it is commanded by the One I answer to. Too many times, we hold on to the excuse that the other person's reaction was the reason why we don't talk anymore or why we are not close anymore. As far as God is concerned, it has never been his way to wait for us to be lovable before He loved us. If the cross had waited until we were worthy of that kind of sacrifice, we would all be lost now. Thank God His love was not conditional on us first loving Him, but that His love was there all along, waiting for us at the end of our rope.
The Message:
If that is the standard that we have been given, my life must show off that alignment. Today's extract speaks on giving. The effect and impact of giving are spelt out in this extract, but we must not forget in what context this instruction is given. Jesus was speaking to His disciples, even though the crowd was huge. It has never been about a popularity contest, but a dedication to obedience. I am asked to give, really with no other condition attached to it. As long as I have, God expects me to give. The One who gave me His all and His best has laid out what I stand to gain back in all of this.
And in giving, I am obeying God, who owes no man, yet owns all things. If He asks me to give out something, it is because He has something bigger and better to give me. How does He replace that which I hold on to, if I don't give it up? How does He give me something better if I don't give up the good one already in my hand? And it gets interesting: when dealing with this God of absolute knowledge, be careful about eye-service, hypocrisy and self-promotion. The God who made the heart knows all about its propensity for deceit. You can't fool God; if my acts are not sincere, men may applaud but the One who blesses has nothing to give me.
And it gets even more interesting: when I obey the command to give, I have activated God's divine recipe for obedience: I get more than I gave out. Actually, there is a law of sowing and reaping that applies to all of life: put something in the ground, nurture it and it will give you a harvest months or years later. Whether you fear God or not, all factors being equal, you get a harvest. But meet the God who can blow away all you have sown just to make a point. He can withhold rain to teach a lesson. Getting a harvest from sowing isn't as automatic as we think it is; it is God who gives the increase. This is the message also in today's extract: as I obey, God is going to do something unusual, which is give me a return far beyond what I have given. And it may take time; having to measure out a return, press it down and shake it together will help make even more space for more. So God keeps up topping it up until there is no more room and it begins to overflow. That is what you get from God when you do what He says.
The Response:
I must therefore be careful about how I live and most importantly, why I do what I do. If I am all about image and prestige, God will deal with me the same way. My part is not to worry about whether God can do what He had promised; I should worry about how to completely obey God so I can get all He has promised. With God, delay, if you can call it that, only means more than enough. He does not owe, and He will keep His promises.
Don't fret when what you have asked for seems to delay; God is working on the full measure that will lead to an overflow. Check your measure today: how do you deal with other people? If God were to take out of my own supply and give it back to me, would I like what I get? If not, it is not too late to check the attitude and make necessary changes. God is looking for lives through which He will display His power, might, grace and mercy. Am I one? Are you? His time of favour is here.
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