May 19, 2017

GIVING

Luke 6:38

Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.

Personal Challenge

Jesus wants to make sure that we understand the magnitude at which He wants us to love our neighbor. It is so easy to give that token smile to another or to say something kind of nice all the while mumbling under our breath how much disdain we have for the other person. Here, Jesus tells to not just give from a superficial level, but from a deep and complete level. We are called to give to others in ways that it far exceeds what they could give in return. We do this because this is how God has given to us. And our God will not let us give this way without taking care of us and meeting our needs. This is not some kind of prosperity gospel. When God meets my needs it is based on His perception of what my needs are, not mine. And some­times that which I receive will not be in this life but the one to come. The bottom line is that Jesus wants us to give abundantly of our possessions, our time, and our love to others. Glory be to God!