Have you ever tried cooking without following the recipe? You know how it goes with a little bit of this, and a little of that. You eyeball the flour. Swap milk for water. And skip the “small” ingredients like salt or vanilla. Then you pull it out of the oven and… it’s a total disaster. That was me. More times than I like to admit. So much that my family, lovingly, and loudly, decided I couldn’t cook.
So, I invented what I call the Humphrey 3-Step Cooking Process:
- Buy the product.
- Open it.
- Put it in the microwave.
If it required more effort than that? Forget it. The problem wasn’t just that my food turned out bad. Somewhere along the way, I got okay with missing the blessing of learning. I didn’t like following directions or measuring. So, I improvised my way right out of growth.
If we’re honest, many of us do the same thing spiritually. We skip the foundational ingredients like mercy, forgiveness, humility, and love. Then we “eyeball” obedience and improvise with Scripture. Then we wonder why our relationships end up tasting bitter. Jesus talks about this in 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 back to you.”
Most of us have heard this verse used when talking about money or blessings. But in context, Jesus is talking about something much deeper. He’s talking about how we treat people.
The Real Context of “A Good Measure”
Before Jesus says, “Give, and it will be given to you,” He says this in Luke 6:27-28, “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Ouch. Some of us may need a band-aid or two after reading this one. But here’s what matters. Jesus is not talking about, “Give and you’ll get a new car.”
He’s saying:
- Give love where there’s hate.
- Give blessing where there’s cursing.
- Give prayer where there’s mistreatment.
Then He adds: “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you…” – Luke 6:37–38
So, what are we really “giving” in this passage? Mercy. Forgiveness. Grace. Kindness. Love for enemies. Jesus says the measure we use toward others matters.
If we constantly pour out judgment, criticism, and bitterness, we shouldn’t be surprised when those same things keep spilling back into our relationships. Eventually, a life without mercy starts turning bitter. But when we pour out mercy and forgiveness, God uses that measure in ways that overflow.
Our Real Enemy Isn’t Flesh and Blood
When someone hurts us, we quickly put a face and name to the “enemy.” The friend who betrayed us. The church member who gossiped. The family member who wounded us.
But Scripture reminds us: “For our battle is not against flesh and blood…” Ephesians 6:12
Let that sink in for a moment because people are not our ultimate enemy. Satan is. And he loves division, bitterness, revenge, and fractured relationships, especially among believers. That’s why Jesus calls us to respond differently than the world does. Instead of serving up a revengeful chocolate pie, we’re called to do good, bless, pray for others, and give without demanding something in return. Because that’s exactly how Jesus has loved us.
And if I’m honest, there have been seasons where judgment came out of me a whole lot faster than mercy did. Hurt has a way of making us feel justified in holding onto resentment. But bitterness never produces the kind of life Jesus is calling us to live. We must remember the spiritual battle and realize who our real enemy is. When we look at Scripture closer, it gives us a recipe to follow.
The Recipe for Mercy and Forgiveness
Jesus says: “Be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.” -Luke 6:36
Mercy means not giving people what they deserve. It’s what God gives us every single day. Most of us hand out judgment quickly and mercy carefully. But Jesus does the opposite. He pours mercy over our lives in abundance, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. He forgives. Not partially. Completely.
When we refuse mercy and to forgive others, our hearts slowly harden. It affects our relationships, our witness, and honestly, our own spiritual growth too. A recipe without these two powerful ingredients always leaves something missing from the life of the believer. But when we give mercy and forgiveness, people start seeing Jesus in us.
What Are You Measuring Out?
Jesus goes on to ask: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit?”– Luke 6:39.
In other words, we cannot clearly help others while ignoring the condition of our own hearts. Jesus warns against focusing on everyone else’s flaws while ignoring the plank in our own eye. Before correcting someone else, we should first stop and ask: What am I pouring out? Is my life marked more by mercy or criticism? Forgiveness or resentment?
Because Jesus promised: “With the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” That’ll make you stop and think for a minute. Because when Jesus could have measured out judgment toward us, He chose mercy instead. Pressed down. Shaken together. Running over. And now He calls us to do the same.
The people around us are tasting something from our lives every single day. And in a world starving for grace, mercy and forgiveness will always be a good measure.
Let’s pour out Jesus,
💛Dee
If this message stirred something in your heart, don’t leave it on the page. Ask the Holy Spirit: “Who do I need to show mercy to?” Write down one person you’ve struggled to forgive. Begin praying for them by name this week. Consider a small, tangible act of kindness: a note, a text, a meal, a simple gift to begin mending that relationship.
Looking for more ways to grow your faith? Head over to the dee-votionals for monthly encouragement, practical teaching, and resources to help you live with Christ, courage, and clarity.
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