Give and It Will Be Given to You

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Luke 6: 38

We’ve all heard the expression, “It’s better to give than to receive.” And at times, we do well. We open our hearts and “our wallets” and give gifts of love to bring others joy, to make their lives easier, or to help them in times of their greatest need.  But do we give consistently, and if so, is it enough? We want to believe that we all have generous hearts and are willing to give. But then when we see so many overwhelming needs around us, we begin to wonder if our small amount will even make a difference.

Yet, Jesus teaches that giving is a command from God, and it is one that requires our obedience, submission, and trust in Him. It’s not one of “Give if it feels right;”  it’s about “Give because you love Him and you want to share that love with others.” 

It is a difficult concept for many of us to understand that giving should be a sacrifice – our gift of ourselves to others, but especially our gift to God. For as Jesus taught, whatever we have, has been given to us by Him, and it really never belonged to us anyway. There is nothing we could have done to earn or deserve His blessings upon us. We are only sharing what He has given to us in abundance, and by giving to others, we are showing our love for Him.

Yet, His message goes beyond our money or our resources. We are also asked to give of our love, service, time, energy, friendship, commitment, teaching, prayer, support, encouragement, compassion, or whatever we see someone needs and what we believe would give God the greatest glory.

Regardless of our financial situations, these are things that any and all of us can do by giving of ourselves. They too may require a sacrifice on our part, but when given with love, what a gift they can be – to not only the recipient, but also to us. Sometimes we receive the greater blessing. May God open our hearts to give more lovingly and more often. “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.”

During biblical times, a dry measure was always taken by pressing down the amount, shaking, pressing down again, and as much as could be heaped on, was added until it spilled over. We, too, are asked to give abundantly and out of the overflow of love that Christ has placed in our hearts. These are blessings we can share with others that will bring God pleasure, and amazingly, if we do so, He longs to bless us in return.

He promises that if we give freely from the heart that He will pour His blessings down upon us, running over with His goodness, and He will fill our hearts with love, peace, contentment, and joy. “For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” 

 Prayer

Dear God, thank you for the blessings of life. Help us to understand that you are the source and the means for all that we have and all that we are. Open our hearts to give to others, not out of a sense of duty or guilt, but out of our love for you. May we give of ourselves, our talents, our abilities, and our resources where they are needed – and when we do, may it always bring glory to you. Amen