37 “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 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.”
39 He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.
41 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
Read Luke 6:37-42 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!
One of the most widely circulated verses in the “prosperity gospel” crowd can be found during one of Jesus’ famous sermons. While it is hinted at in Matthew’s gospels’ famous “Sermon on the Mount”, Luke describes it in greater detail in the sermon called the “Sermon on the Plain”.
But like what often happens in our sound-bite culture, only half the truth is shared – and in this case, while each verse in Jesus’ key point can stand alone, when put together, we see a clearer theme communicated.
Luke tells us Jesus preached, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 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.” (v. 37-38)
Too often, we are tempted to focus on the giving and receiving section of this verse, but Jesus is really describing a principle that relates more towards our attitude than our wealth. The key statement in these two verses is the last one: “For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (v. 38c)
This idea describes not only the giving side of the topic, but the whole attitude focus of both verses. The principle here is that we will get from the world what we give into it. How we look at the world will eventually become the way the world (i.e. others) look at us.
But it isn’t an equal ratio – this principle is intentionally unfair. Linked closer to the final phrase than the one before it, the second last statement speaks to the unfair nature of this principle: “A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.” (v. 38b)
Both statements use the word “measure”, but the unfair statement describes how we actually get a more concentrated result than we give. If we chose to extend a little grace on a regular basis, we may find ourselves receiving grace in a much greater, more concentrated forms.
This truth is relevant in all areas of our attitude, but I believe Jesus draws our attention onto these four (judging, condemning, forgiving, and giving) because He knows these have the greatest power over the quality of our lives. A welcoming, friendly, forgiving, generous person is much more pleasant to spend time with than a judgmental, condemning, grudge-keeping, stingy person. Those who follow and apply Jesus’ words will simply have better relationships. These better relationships may translate into more material wealth, but not necessarily.
Nothing in this passage says that the repayment will happen using the same currency or even that it will happen in the same place in history. Jesus’ words are simply a promise that it will happen – and if it doesn’t happen in this life, then God has promised to make it so in the life to come. When we don’t judge, perhaps God chooses not to judge us; when we don’t condemn, perhaps God chooses to not condemn us; when we forgive, perhaps God then forgives us; and when we give, perhaps that becomes an open invitation for God to bless us. It may not happen in the present; God may be saving it for His kingdom that is to come!
This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!
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