Freely Give

“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

When Jesus was being drilled by Pilate to answer the accusation of whether he was the king of the Jews, his response was, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36)

The kingdoms of this world abide by a different set of rules than the Kingdom that is not of this world. In the world’s kingdom, prosperity comes to those who gather. In the Kingdom of Heaven, prosperity comes to those who scatter.

You may be surprised to learn that the context of this scripture in Luke is not about financial gain. It comes on the heels of Jesus teaching us to love our enemies, to refuse to judge others, and to practice forgiveness. When you scatter seeds of love and forgive others, you will become wealthy in the fruit of the Spirit and will prosper in peace and contentment. Love and forgiveness are agents by which the Kingdom of Heaven is advanced. In contrast, those who are stingy with love, withhold forgiveness, and are quick to judge others will lose everything the Kingdom of God is striving to bring. Their lives will be void of peace and contentment. 

When you freely give the riches of the Kingdom of heaven, the riches of the Kingdom are returned to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap.