podcast: https://www.pastorwoman.net/podcast/episode/1a35d238/generosity-is-a-beautiful-thing-luke-30
Are you a generous person?
Jesus’ last words, that is, the last few we considered were these: Be merciful even as your Father is merciful. Hmmm. Are you merciful?
As the new year dawned, I introduced to my Bible study groups the notion of studying the Bible through a plan called S.O.A.P.When considering a passage of
Scripture (look at it, write out passage or the key verses)
Observation (what does God want you to learn from the passage?)
Application (anything to apply or put in action?) and
Prayer (talk to God about it).
In seeking to understand a scripture, looking at context is key. Who is the author? To whom is he speaking, and in what setting? And yes, is it applicable to us today?
Our Scripture today: Luke 6.37-42, the next section of Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain.
With Jesus’ simple instruction Be merciful even as your Father is merciful in mind, these next verses are instructional. “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
He also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye.” Luke 6.37-42
And so I will ask you again – are you a generous person?
Jesus helps us see here that generosity is not just of material goods or wealth, but generosity of heart and spirit. Do you tend to believe the best of others, or do they have to ‘earn’ your trust—are you condemning? Do you lead with a critical spirit? One time a friend said to me, ‘I was raised by a critical mother and now I am critical—I just can’t help it! My daughter will probably be the same way.’ We can do better, we can.
Do you apologize easily, admit your wrong, and likewise, do you forgive others? Ouch. If not, take a minute here with me and pray: “Father, help me be merciful like Jesus said that You are…help me see the best in people and not be critical of them. May my words build others up, not tear them down. Grow the fruit of kindness in me, I pray. Amen.”
One caveat here. When Jesus said ‘Judge not’, remember he was speaking to a large crowd of people that were used to the legalistic browbeating of the Pharisees—their self-righteous piety was anathema to Jesus. Hear me - Jesus is not saying that we should refrain from knowing and speaking truth on matters about which the Bible has clearly spoken. For example, there are only two sexes: male and female. That is not just obvious and logical, it is biblical: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”1
Believing friends, we are to ‘be holy even as He is holy’,2 live wisely and judiciously, with discretion and prudence, in obedience to Jesus Christ. I do not believe it is ours to pronounce judgment of heaven or hell over another’s sin. You see, here’s the thing: all of us are sinners, we all fall short of the holiness of God. We are to know Biblical truth and speak it when we are able. While God's word is clear, we are not the judge of those who are living against his laws—especially when so many do not profess to follow him in the first place. We are to lead with love… and generously, at that, and look for opportunities to point people to Christ.
But when we are asked truth, biblical truth -- we must share it and not back away or compromise; at the same time, we ought not back away from the person either or be unloving or unkind. Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you. You see, in the ancient marketplace, when a seller put grain in a container, he shook the container to get the grain to level out, so that he could add more grain.
God wants us to be that way with people – give, and look for more ways to give generously, just as God wants to give to us. O, I am so glad we have a merciful Father! God, make us more like you.
Generosity is a beautiful thing.
Christine
Luke, #30
1 - Genesis 1.27
2 - 1 Peter 1.16
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