Foundations Devotional: Week 4, Day 2
Day 2: The Overflow Principle
Luke 6:38
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.
Imagine a farmer planting seeds. They don’t anxiously hoard their seeds, protecting them from the soil. Instead, they understand that giving up those seeds—literally burying them in the ground—is the only way to produce a harvest. This agricultural principle mirrors God’s economy of giving.
Jesus uses vivid marketplace imagery in this verse. In ancient markets, vendors would sell grain by filling a container, pressing it down, shaking it to settle the contents, and then adding more until it overflowed. This wasn’t just good measure—it was generous measure.
This is how God gives to us, and it’s how He calls us to give to others.
But notice the important sequence: giving precedes receiving. The principle isn’t
“receive, then give if you have extra.” It’s “give first, and trust God’s provision.”
This requires faith—the kind that believes God is faithful to His promises and abundant in His provision.
This verse isn’t a prosperity gospel formula; it’s a principle of spiritual physics. When we give generously—of our time, talents, or resources—we create space for God to work in our lives in ways that often exceed our expectations. The return might not always be material, but it will always be meaningful.
Reflection Questions:
1. What holds you back from giving more generously?
2. Can you recall a time when your giving led to unexpected blessings?
3. How might your life look different if you truly embraced this principle of generous giving?
Prayer Focus:
Father, give me the courage to be generous, trusting that You are the
source of all provision. Help me to give with an open hand and an expectant heart.