37“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. 38Give, 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.^c”

We create ourselves, our future, our legacy and our world, not by what we have, but by what we give. I’m not talking only about “stuff” here either. Read Jesus’ words. We are talking about condemnation and forgiveness, and then Jesus throws it wide open. The final verse doesn’t appear to have any limitations regarding “what” is given and received.

I need to look at my life and I’ll bet you do too. No looking at what I have or what I want or where I am but only look at what I give. Perhaps I even need to look at this one relationship at a time. What I give, and how much of it I give, will determine what I receive. So what am I really giving? Am I giving time, or I am I really giving someone the impression they aren’t important because I am physically in their presence but totally ignoring them?

I have a lot of giving to ungive and taking to give back.

Holy Spirit, open my eyes to see the truth of what I am giving and help me to remember “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.”