“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

For the past year I’ve subscribed to a music service to the tune of $82. Divided over 12 payments, I don’t even notice the $6.83 each month. I really do appreciate the music and listen to it every time I get in my vehicle. The other day I received notification that the payment was now going to go to $23.66 per month! That’s $284 per year! A sum I would substantially notice. So I called them.

Now it isn’t like I’m poor or can’t afford the monthly payment. It’s more about principle. With so many different services out there, plus the free music on the radio, spending 4 times more for the same thing just seemed ridiculously ‘out of whack.’ Getting a representative on the phone, I asked them to please cancel my service. Five minutes later, he extended my old contract another year.

Being a salesman for most of my working career, I never appreciated the idea of charging different amounts for the same thing. Sadly, most of the sales world subscribes to the notion of ‘get as much as you can!’ To me, that is simply called ‘cheating.’ When I look to God for what HE thinks about it, I came up with this verse that, to me, has a double meaning.

Starting out in life, I was a very selfish kid. I always took the last or biggest cookie, always making my way to be first in line at the church dinner. It wasn’t until after I started walking with Jesus that He tapped me on my heart and laid out a NEW plan for my giving. I have learned that 1. when I give, to and through Him, he ALWAYS gives back much more. And that 2. my attitude in giving is like a mirror.

Over time I have learned that when God takes what I give Him, he ALWAYS multiplies it to my benefit! Only LOVE does that. So… when it comes to giving, we give our hearts to Him first, and then ask Him what He wants us to give. There have been some very interesting moments over the years. But we have never ‘lost’ a dime! In fact, we have reaped FAR more than we have sown.

Jesus died to pay for my sins (ALL OF THEM) ONCE FOR ALL! When I received Him as Lord, I actually did a life swap… mine for His. Which is an AMAZING contract that I’ll never understand. I get ALL of HIM… for the disgustingly low price of all of ME! I’m not a dummy. I realize I made out HUGE in that deal! Have YOU signed the contract with Jesus? Are YOU becoming a bigger giver than a taker? Do YOU ‘get it?’