Luke 6:38 “Give ~~, and it will be given to you: A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be poured into your lap. For the measure you use will be the measure you receive.”
A giving spirit flows from a free, forgiving spirit. Luke had been discussing a series of sacrificial, caring, and accepting principles that flow from the heart of God: “Love your enemies . . . lend, hoping for nothing in return . . . for [God] is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. Judge not . . . Condemn not . . . Forgive” (Luke 6:35–-37). Now Luke writes, “Give, and it will be given to you” (6:38).
This command doesn’t just tell us how to respond to personal injuries and to be forgiving. It asks even more: give to fulfill the needs of others, with the promise of a divine reward. Luke declared that if we do good (by serving or giving) to our enemies, without hoping for recognition or anything “in return,” then “[our] reward will be great” (Luke 6:35). The benefit of giving is so great that only a fool would be stingy or selfish.
This principle is derived from the extreme generosity of God to give in abundance. There is both a promise and a strict condition, as in 2 Corinthians 9:6–-7: “He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully . . . for God loves a cheerful giver.”
Our text promises, “It will be given to you.” You cannot lose, though you may feel that you will lose. That feeling of loss comes from your selfish nature. When you meditate on the promise and believe that God will repay you “a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over,” that feeling of loss will disappear. You will feel like you made a deposit into your eternal savings account.
If you could choose, when would you prefer to receive your wealth and reward in the present or in eternity, where you will enjoy it forever? Actually, you are choosing, whether you know it or not. The greatest reward will be to share it all with Jesus, as He tells you how much He appreciated your labor and sacrifice for Him.
“Jesus, do I trust You? Will You really give back at some point whatever we give away now? If You provide it, I will give whatever I have for Your kingdom’s purposes. My trust is completely in Your providence toward me.”