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 (NLT)]
Before posting yesterday’s message about Luther (“A Disciple of Christ”), I checked to make sure I could use both his name and picture. In getting the answer, I learned more about him and, more important, more about love. Truly, what we sow will be harvested: the more love we give, the more we will receive!
Although he lived alone with no family near, Luther was never short of people who loved him. Members of our church, the people with whom Luther shared God’s love, became his family. When the Wednesday evening Bible study started doing “brown bag” dinners before class, the official purpose was to promote church fellowship; the real purpose was to have dinner with Luther! The churchwomen always made sure that he had a place to go for every holiday meal. When Luther came home after surgery several years ago, a church friend stayed with him for a week to help. Other church members brought in meals. I never even knew his last name, but I was so moved by Luther’s outpouring of love, that the last time I saw him, I gave him a photo/prayer book I’d written. “Jesus loves you and I do, too!” was written inside. In Luther’s present residence, he doesn’t have easy access to the internet, so another church member continues to send him CDs of all of the sermons. Moreover, his church family continues to keep him in their prayers. Luther’s motive in spreading God’s love had nothing to do with getting anything in return, but God’s love continues to pour down on him in buckets!
Love is demonstrably superior to money, not only on a sentimental plane, but even on a computable basis: The more money you give away, the less you have, but the more love you give away, the more comes back to you. (Sydney J. Harris)
There is a brotherhood within the body of believers, and the Lord Jesus Christ is the common denominator. Friendship and fellowship are the legal tender among believers. [J. Vernon McGee]
Devotions of the Heart 