Lend Without a Return
Luke 6:35 I’m telling you to love your enemies and do good to them. Lend to people without expecting to get anything back. If you do this, you will have a great reward. You will be children of the Most High God. Yes, because God is good even to the people who are full of sin and not thankful.
In this day and age, the deal is that when you invest in something you expect a return. After all, that’s what, by and large, makes the world economy go round. I lend you some money, and you repay me the capital plus interest. That’s the deal.
And sure … when it comes to economics, that “deal” is not a bad thing. But what about in our interpersonal relationships – when you give someone, let’s say … a leg up at work; when you go out of your way to support them or help them in some way? What quid quo pro are you expecting in return, hmm?
There’s always something – because we tend to approach life on the basis that if I make an investment, I should get a return. Enter Jesus with this radical thought:
Luke 6:35 I’m telling you to love your enemies and do good to them. Lend to people without expecting to get anything back. If you do this, you will have a great reward. You will be children of the Most High God. Yes, because God is good even to the people who are full of sin and not thankful.
As if loving your enemies and doing good towards them weren’t enough, Jesus goes on to undermine our expectation of a return on investment – that most fundamental of both economic and interpersonal expectations.
Lend without expecting a return – that’s the bad news. But the good news? If you do this, you will have a great reward. You will be children of the Most High God.
How wonderful is it, when we quietly invest in someone else, expecting nothing back from them, only to discover that God has the most unexpected blessing waiting for us just around the next corner?
If you do this, you will have a great reward.
That’s His Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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John chobocky
Hi Bernie , Love this devotional about giving and not expecting anything in return but a previous devotional ...
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Hi Bernie ,
Love this devotional about giving and not expecting anything in return but a previous devotional about obeying our political leaders, just doesn’t wash with me , sorry Bernie.