“Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” Luke 6:38
Lord Jesus, your forbearance, patience, and kindness towards us are on display all the time—ALL the time. We’ve used this passage in ways you never intended—actually, in the opposite way you want us to think about money, selfishness, and generosity. You don’t teach “give to get.” This isn’t a “fail-proof” investment scheme. It’s just the way generosity works in relationship with you. It’s the tempo of grace and the rhythm of the Gospel.
We’ll never regret being generous. For sure, we can be taken advantage of, because you even tell us to be generous with love, goodness, blessing, and prayer for our enemies (Luke 6:27-28). We will never be generous without experiencing a far greater return. The return may not be “in kind,” or in a time frame that we recognize. But we will have a “full lap” of whatever you choose to give us, whenever, however you choose.
In fact, Jesus, your giving is always prior, during, and after ours. In union with you, we have a wide variety of currencies to spend for the benefit of others—money, time, mercy, grace, forgiveness, encouragement, and kindness—and that’s just 7 of many. You lovingly, wisely made us stewards, not owners, of whatever you give us. Forgive us, free us, and supersize our gratitude and generosity. So Very Amen.