You Can't Out Give God

Luke 6

I wonder if you are like me when you start getting into Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.  When reading the beatitudes and about loving my enemies and judging others, suddenly strong feelings of inadequacy start to surface, and I want to cry out to God “I’m not worthy!”  But then I realize that’s not such a bad thing, because the fact of the matter is I’m not worthy, and I pause to be thankful that I’m saved by His grace.

Of all these wonderful words of Jesus I think I’ll just focus on verse 38 today.  Give, and it will be given to you.  Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap.  For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.  In this verse Jesus uses the imagery of a container of which the contents has been shaken and pressed down to make room for more, and even then you get so much that it starts to overflow into your lap.  Jesus is saying that’s what we get back when we give to God and His causes.  There’s an old saying that says you can’t out give God and I believe this verse expresses that pretty well. 

I think of this verse when I think about the homes I’ve lived in growing up.  My dad was a Pastor and my mom would occasionally teach in private Christian schools and give piano lessons, so it’s safe to say we we’re never even close to what you might call rich by American standards.  And yet never once in my life did I ever feel in want for anything.  Remembering our days in St. Louis, we lived in a beautiful home that we were only able to afford because the previous owner had built it using a lot of cedar wood, only to find out that his kids were allergic to cedar so he had to sell it quick and on the cheap.  I didn’t know it at the time, but there was a period when my dad didn’t draw a paycheck from our struggling start up church.  I just thought it was nice that some of our church members dropped off groceries at our door, never realizing just how tight things were.  Each home we lived in have many stories of their own, that space will not allow, but let’s just say God blessed my parents with their homes.  They seemed to be in the right housing markets at the right times to continue to have lovely homes, and they are currently retired in a beautiful home my dad designed sitting on a salt water cove.  Like I said, my parents have never been remotely close to rich and yet God has blessed them with beautiful homes.  I think it’s no coincidence that all along the way they have been givers; giving to their church, to missionaries, to outside ministries, and always giving their homes by inviting countless people in for meals, fellowship, and bible studies.  It was a common practice for my mom to get a big pot roast going on Sunday morning before church and then set the oven timer.  Then while at church that morning she would always invite someone or some family over for a good hot meal afterwards.  I can still smell that pot roast cooking as I think about coming in our front door after church.  They share their home like few others I have known.  My parents and their homes is just one example of many of how you can’t out give God.

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for Your goodness and faithfulness to us.  Thank you that you are a giving God, and You provide for our needs.  Help us to follow the example of Jesus who gave the ultimate gift of His life, as we seek to be givers in all things.  Amen.