By the horns

Once I grab the bull by the horns, I tend not to let go… so please forgive me as I continue rehashing, doing the right thing for the wrong reason… i.e. to get payback.

We talked about being faithful in tithes so I can get open windows on my own behalf. We talked about not judging so that I don’t get measured by the same harsh judgment that I am meting out.

I do most of my Sermon-on-the-Mount reading in Mateo, but today I see that Luke hands us four pairs of, “Do this and that will happen,” all in a row in two verses.

Luke 6.37

1) judge not, and you will not be judged,

2) condemn not, and you will not be condemned,

3) forgive, and you will be forgiven,

Luke 6.38

4) 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.”

No getting around it. It says what it means, and it means what it says (even if we as grace-partakers would rather wiggle out of #3).

Nevertheless, I am shooting for the gold. I want my motivation to judge-and-condemn-not, and my reason to forgive-and-give, to not be “what I can get out of the deal?”

I want my incentive to always be thankfulness, obedience, and the yearning to be like Jesus.