Luke 6:38 - Give and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you in return.
I love this verse that Dr. Luke pens for us! It is such a beautiful expression of the generosity of God. “Pressed down, shaken together, running over” - not “whatever you give, you will get” . Instead it is a picture of uncontainable abundance.
The verse is usually thought of in terms of financial giving and certainly its application includes that. Other verses express the same exhortation for us to be lavish in giving back to God what He has given to us, and that God will not only notice but also reward that. Proverbs 22:9 - He who is generous will be blessed for he gives some of his food to the poor. 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 - Now this I say, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; as it is written, He scattered abroad, He gave to the poor, His righteousness abides forever. Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.
Indeed, we can understand the verse from Luke to apply to how we give our money and invest for Eternity. But we miss a great portion of its application if we don’t look at it in context. Verse 35 is smack dab in the middle of a passage where Jesus is majoring on how we treat others, particularly those who don’t treat us well or cannot do anything beneficial for us in return. Focusing in on just verses 35-38 gives us a broader idea of what this particular verse has for us: But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful and do not judge and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon and you will be pardoned. Give and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you in return.
We see that the meaning goes far beyond our checkbook. Jesus is including how we treat people, how we view them, how we judge them. He calls us to be merciful - not condoning sin but rather not giving others the judgment they deserve. Extending grace and the benefit of the doubt, rather than condemnation. Making allowances for their failures and offering understanding for their shortcomings. “Pardon” - releasing them from our expectations of what we believe they owe us. I don’t think this calls us to pretend the wrong behavior isn’t there - rather it is just not insisting that others conform to how we think they should behave and instead letting them answer to God.
The consequences of our choices, the standard we use towards others - whether financial or otherwise - is more of the same towards ourselves. And I believe these results happen in this present life as well as in Eternity. The measure we use towards others is the same God will apply to us. Multiplied.
May this truth grip our hearts and encourage us towards great mercy and generosity. Because we all want that to come back to our own lives!