God’s Good Gifts

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)

I was invited to compete in a golf tournament. On the first day of the competition, there was a large room full of tables that had free gifts (free in the sense that you already paid for them through your registration, but you could take one from each table if you wanted one). So I was going around, collecting free gifts from the various tables, and putting them in my bag, and I started to wonder how I was going to carry all of that stuff on my plane ride home. One of the gifts I picked up was a Yeti cup that had the title sponsor’s logo on it.

Now, the last thing I need is another Yeti cup because I have several at home, so I said to myself, “I’m going to keep it out for people to see. Somebody’s going to say something about it and I’m going to give it to them. Maybe I’ll barter for some golf balls or something else they have.”

So I go to the next table, and it has shirts laid out on it. I pick up three of the shirts because I’m trying to discriminate which color I want. I’m only entitled to one of them, but I’m comparing the three to figure out which one I want.

The nice lady who’s working behind the table says, “What a nice Yeti cup. I really like that.” So I extend it and I say, “Take it.” She says, “Oh no, I couldn’t possibly.” I say, “Yes you can. Let me teach you. Extend your arm, and open your hand.” I put the cup in her hand and said, “See, it’s easy, isn’t it?”

I started putting two of the shirts back down when she says to me, “Sir, thank you for being so nice. You know, we’re almost at the end of the day and you’re one of the last people to come through, so why don’t you just take all three of the shirts?” I said, “I couldn’t possibly.” She said, “Yes you can. It’s easy. Open your hand.” She grabbed them out of one of my hands, and put them in the other, and she laughed and said, “See, it’s easy, isn’t it?”

I said, “Look at how God works. You were blessed by what I gave, and I was blessed by what you let me keep.” I feel that way about the Lord’s interactions in our lives.

My friend, don’t get sidetracked by all the Lord is requiring of you and pulling from you and stirring in you. Look instead to all the Lord is letting you keep. Tonight, when you lie down, no matter how taxing this day has been, you’ll be able to do so with a supernatural peace that He gives. God gives you His power and blessings and joy in measures such that you don’t even have room enough to receive them.

What a generous God we serve.