GIVE AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN
“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” Luke 6:38
One word that suitably describes much of the life of God’s people is give. Giving is central to the obedient Christian. We are to give love to those we care for, as well as to those who hate us. We give prayers for those in need and for those who curse us. In a few verses prior to our text Jesus said, “Give to every man that asketh of thee” (Luke 6:30). We are destined to be givers.
We give respect to all people and obedience to those in authority. We give praise to God. We give thanks to God and others. We give service and encouragement to those in need. We give our attention to God’s Word. We give advice to those who seek it. We give our money to God’s work. We give loyalty to those with whom we serve. We give leadership to the ones who follow us. We give time to causes that are important. We give honor to whom it is due. We give our testimony to those who will listen. We give forgiveness to those who have wronged us and comfort to those who hurt.
Some may think, “It sounds as though we are giving our lives away.” Isn’t that what we are supposed to do? After all, we are destined to become like the One who gave His all for us. To know God is to know the Great Giver. No one has ever given enough to compare with Him. According to the Bible, the only reason we are able to give is because He has first given to us. He loves us so much that He gave His Son to die for our sins. He gives us life and breath and all things to enjoy. He has given us purpose, peace, and joy in living. He gives eternal life to those who place their faith in Jesus Christ. He gives His Holy Spirit to dwell within us and guide our lives. He gave us His Word that we might know Him and His will. He gives wisdom to those who ask. He gives strength to the weary. Since that is the way He is, we can expect Him to use us as channels of His giving. He will make us givers.
But then, what about our needs? If we are always giving our resources of energy, time, and treasure away, who will take care of us? Our text gives us the answer. As we give to others, God will see to it that our needs are met. “Give, and it shall be given unto you.”