What goes around, comes around. Karma. The idea that my actions today affect what happens to me in the future is nothing new.

But Jesus added a couple of intriguing twists.

First, He added that not only will I get what I deserve, I will get more of it. A lot more of it. He says the measure I use will be filled, pressed down, filled, shaken together, and filled yet again so that it is overflowing.

“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 back to you.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭6‬:‭38‬ ‭CSB‬‬

If you’ve ever done any baking you understand “pressed down” and “shaken together”. When I scoop flour or brown sugar or baking soda into a measuring cup, there tend to be air pockets or clumps that could short my measurement by an appreciable amount. For accuracy and adequacy, I should press down and shake. This ensures I have enough.

Jesus goes even further though. He presses down, shakes together, and still adds more. I end up with an inaccurate amount in my favor. When my recipe calls for one cup, I get a cup and a half. When I give one dollar to charity, I get more than a dollar credited to me by God.

The second twist that Jesus adds is that my reward (or punishment) will be dumped right into my lap. I don’t have to go get it. I don’t even have to move. It will come to me. And I can’t avoid it. I can’t jump out of the way or refuse it. It will be poured right in my unsuspecting lap.

If I am giving good things in this world, this verse should be a marvelous joy. I will get more generosity, grace, and love than I deserve, more than I put out there, and it will come to me without effort or warning.

But if I am handing out bad things everywhere I go — judgment, condemnation, hatred — this verse is quite appalling. Terrifying even. I will get more judgment, condemnation, and hated aimed back at me. Without any defense or warning.

Dear God,

I am so grateful for your overly generous measure when rewarding me for the good I give in my life. You have proven to me many times how true this verse is. I cannot out-give you. However I see by the surrounding verses, which are warnings not to judge, that my bad actions may also be returned to me in extra measure. Please open my eyes to the bad things I do so I can repent and be forgiven for them instead of having them returned to me. Thank you so much for your promise of forgiveness!