Dec 12 - Love Beyond Measure

Love beyond Measure

Tuesday, December 12, 2023

by Donna Taylor

           

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”  Luke 6:38 NIV 

What words jump out at you in this passage? For me, it's the very first word, “Give”, an action word of clear, direct instruction. Then, of course, the word “measure(d)”, repeated three times in two sentences. 

Jesus speaks these words. After being baptized by John and tested by Satan in the desert, He has begun his ministry of preaching, teaching and healing the sick. On this occasion He and His twelve disciples went up on a mountainside (Matthew 5:1) and stood on a level place surrounded by “a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon...”. (Luke 6:17) “Looking at His disciples...” (Luke 6:20) Jesus begins to teach. These teachings, recorded in Matthew and Luke, have become known as the Sermon on the Mount, and our scripture text is included in Luke's account.

The Sermon on the Mount introduces the Kingdom of God. Luke begins Jesus' discourse with four blessings that will accrue to those who follow him and four woes for those who reject Him. Jesus then calls His disciples to love their enemies and “Do to others as you would have them do to you”. (Luke 6:31) The group of verses 6:37-42 address judging and relating to others: “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” (Luke 6:37) This verse immediately precedes our scripture text, Luke 6:38.

“Give, and it will be given to you”. Is Jesus talking about money or material things? Considering the preceding verse, isn't it likely that Christ is challenging our human tendency to judge, condemn and not forgive ourselves and others? Jesus wants us to give mercy, forgiveness and no condemnation. This declarative sentence, “Give, and it will be given to you”, contains no conditions, no qualifiers. Do you hear the promise, the truth, the love in Jesus' words? He wants us to know what we sow we will reap, be it blessing or curse. 

“A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.” This is how God will bless those who are generous. Here Jesus uses a common everyday example in the lives of His hearers to illustrate:

“In markets Jews would purchase grain or other granular products. They would generally pull up their outer garment from below with both hands outstretched from their sides to form their garment into a bowl-like shape. The merchant then would pour the grain into the lap of the buyer and press it down. Then the buyer would shake the grain together to make room for more. Finally the seller would top off the grain if generous”.  Quora.com/Milan Woodson

Jesus wants His followers to know God will bless them beyond measure when they, like God, give themselves generously. 

“For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” This is a promise that if we give with a big measure, we will receive a big measure in return from God. At this time of  Advent, I think of a young, virgin Jewish girl in Nazareth. She responded to an angel's incredible announcement wholeheartedly. Giving her full measure of obedience and devotion she became the mother of Jesus, the Savior of the world!

We love to measure things—objects, distance, light, time, temperature, money—and each item has it's own unit of measure. So I wonder now, what is my heart's unit of measure? Is it love? When I consider judging, condemning, forgiving (others as well as myself), am I stingy or generous giving love? How open am I to new people, to ideas that differ from mine? Do I first consider if a person is worthy or deserving of my time, attention or resources? Do I pick and choose who I associate with according to whether their behavior and lifestyle agrees with my own?  Does what I give others help and heal? Does what I give glorify God? What is my standard of measure? Is it love?

As we near Christmas we reflect on God's greatest gift to us, Jesus. Jesus! Our redeemer and friend. He told us and showed us that God is love. To help us, he gave us a new command: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (John 13:34). He gave himself, full measure, for each one of us. I know that I have a ways to go to love wholeheartedly, with full measure. I also know the Holy Spirit is eager to help me: counseling, nudging, correcting, affirming as needed. I have hope that in time, listening to Jesus's words and relying on the power of God's Holy Spirit, I, too, shall learn to love generously.

Gracious God, in Jesus' name cultivate a giving, generous heart in me. Help me give unlimited mercy, forgiveness and no condemnation to myself or others. Free me from every fear and insecurity that limits my ability to give the love you so freely and continuously give me. By the power of your Holy Spirit, lead me into a life of giving love beyond measure. Thank you! Amen