Capistrano Community Church

June Blessing Journal
Song: What If I Give All?
Bible Passage: Luke 6: 12-38

What If I Give All

What if I give all I have? What will that gift do?
My child, a gift like that Could change the world It could feed a multitude
He didn’t close his eyes Or turn away
I can see him standing tall He saw the need And I can hear him say
What if I give all?
Words & Music by Ray Boltz and Mark Pay

Give and you will receive, your gift will return to you in full – pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back. [Luke 6:38]

Biblical generosity is best gauged by asking not, “How much am I giving to God?” but, “How much am I keeping for myself?” It’s that “me” attitude that is the problem even when we do “give all.” In a lot of cases we are doing it because it makes us feel better – better than others, better about ourselves, better about our faith – pride in our generosity can actually take us away from God.

When you read this verse in context, it’s that pride that Jesus was talking about. The verse is more about mercy and forgiveness than money. Jesus was taking the Pharisees to task over their judgmental attitudes and their lack of mercy when applying the law; laws that in many cases were added to God’s laws, not by God but by men. Just as we do today – add qualities, actions and conditions that people must adhere to in order to meet our expectations and thus be worthy of our gifts whether they be money, mercy or forgiveness. The “pressed down, shaken together” stuff that awaits us are the blessings that God will pour down on us when we act mercifully towards others, when we accept someone just as they are without any type of judgment, and when we realize that we can’t out give God in any area, especially the area of forgiveness and mercy. There is no greater peace than when we understand that He forgives all our sins, all our mistakes, all our character flaws and the best we can do for Him is to strive to have a Heart like His.

If God is at the center of a gift, giving to someone or something with an attitude of love and mercy, without any thought of ourselves can change the world. God has a Heart for all the world, His mission is to bring salvation to the world through His Son and any gift given to His purpose, with a Heart like His will be life changing for both the giver and the receiver.

-c anderson

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