Be Generous
“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 NLT
In this passage of Scripture, Jesus is teaching the fundamental principles of sowing and reaping. Whatever we release in our lives, it will be returned to us. If we are merciful, we will receive mercy. If we are harsh and judgmental, we will receive harsh judgments in return. If we do not forgive others, we will not be forgiven. When we spread our gifts, whatever they may be, they will come back in abundance. This is a universal principle that goes beyond the giving of money and material possessions.
Jesus died for us. His compassion for us is immeasurable. His love for us never fails. We have been saved by grace, and by God’s grace, we have received many precious promises as we exercise our faith in Jesus Christ. I am sure we can all agree that we have received more from God than we could ever repay. When we take stock of our lives and the goodness we have received from the Lord, it should prompt us to think about how we treat others.
God loves us unconditionally, and by His grace, we can love others, not in our own strength but in the power of the Holy Spirit living inside us and helping us to do all things in Christ, who gives us strength. God is serious about us sharing our generosity, forgiveness, and compassion with others. Too often, some believers take on the judgment of the world. They spend too much time judging the outward sins of others while failing to look at the sin in their own hearts that could carry bitterness, murmuring and complaining, ungratefulness, resentment, and so on. Man looks on the outside, but God looks on the inside. He is looking not only at what we sow, but also at how we sow.
Read this same passage of Scripture in The Message translation. It says, “Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults—unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don’t condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you’ll find life a lot easier. Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity” (Luke 6:37-38).
Although this text is used in many pulpits on Sunday to incite people to give financially, its message resonates with something more powerful than money. God wants us to live a life of generosity that includes how we treat one another. He wants us to work on building our character so that it is more reflective of Him and the transformation His love makes in our lives.
Reflection: Do your actions toward others demonstrate a generous spirit of compassion? If not, make the adjustments.
Prayer: Father, show me the error of my ways when I judge others harshly instead of giving them the benefit of grace. Open my eyes so that I may see others through the lens of Your love. Help me to share Your generosity with kindness and compassion. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.