Good Measure 多而又多
Dexu Xia
Good Measure
Give, and it will be given to you. Luke 6:38
At a gas station one day, Staci encountered a woman who had left home without her bank card. Stranded with her baby, she was asking passersby for help. Although unemployed at the time, Staci spent $15 to put gas in the stranger’s tank. Days later, Staci came home to find a gift basket of children’s toys and other presents waiting on her porch. Friends of the stranger had reciprocated Staci’s kindness and converted her $15 blessing into a memorable Christmas for her family.
This heartwarming story illustrates the point Jesus made when he said, “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).
It can be tempting to hear this and focus on what we get out of giving, but doing so would miss the point. Jesus preceded that statement with this one: “Love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked” (v. 35).
We don’t give to get things; we give because God delights in our generosity. Our love for others reflects His loving heart toward us.
In what ways have you experienced God’s generosity in your life? How can you extend generosity to others?
Gracious Father, help me to give generously to others because You’ve been so generous to me.
多而又多
你们要给人，就必有给你们的。—路加福音6章38节
某天在加油站，黛西遇到一位忘了带银行卡出门的女士。这女士因带着小婴孩不方便，只好请求路过的人帮助。虽然当时黛西失业，但她仍花了15美元帮这个陌生人的车子加油。几天后，黛西回到家，看见家门前有个装着玩具及礼品的礼篮。原来是那位女士的一些朋友回报黛西的善行，将她付出的15美元化为一份祝福，让黛西与她的家人有个难忘的圣诞节。
这温馨的故事印证了耶稣所说的话：“你们要给人，就必有给你们的，并且用十足的升斗，连摇带按，上尖下流地倒在你们怀里；因为你们用什么量器量给人，也必用什么量器量给你们。”（路加福音6章38节）
这番话可能会让人专注在付出后所得到的赏赐，但若是这样可能就错失了焦点。事实上，耶稣在说这话之前还说：“你们倒要爱仇敌，也要善待他们，并要借给人不指望偿还，你们的赏赐就必大了，你们也必作至高者的儿子，因为祂恩待那忘恩的和作恶的。”（35节）
我们付出并不是为了得赏赐，而是由于上帝喜悦我们慷慨行善。我们对他人的爱正反映出上帝对我们的爱。
满有恩典的天父，求祢帮助我能够慷慨地给予别人，因祢一直对我如此慷慨。
在生活中，你曾如何经历上帝的慷慨？你如何对他人展现慷慨呢？