“Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
— Luke 6:38
When we read this, we think: “OK, we need to give. This is the highest virtue, being a giver. I guess I better do more of that. It’s the right thing to do.”
But we forget the second part: “.. it will be measured back to you.”
Now there are folks that have a vending machine mentality, figuring if they give, the “God machine” or the “Universe machine” HAS to give back. In my opinion, that pretty well is ridiculous and will not work. It’s more like playing Giving Lotto. Treating yourself, others, God or the Universe like that is shallow and silly.
But then there are the others who forget to receive. Many of the subscribers and followers at RitA are by nature Givers. They just give and give, mostly without expecting anything in return.
The issue is, though, do we take the time to receive back when it is given to us? Are we cheerful receivers as well as cheerful givers?
That is so important, because we simply cannot sustain the race without receiving back. This is particularly true when it comes to personal love, affection and care. It is more like a flow between persons of giving and receiving.
Somebody’s got to give and somebody’s got to receive!
So, today as we figure out how to give more graciously, we might also take the time to receive more graciously, so we can keep the flow going!