The Way

Title: When Love Means Giving Up What YOU Want, To Give Others What They NEED

From The Master:

“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.” Luke 6:38 (NIV); (MSG): "The measure you use will be the measure you get."

There was a time—once upon a much younger day—when I was asked to officiate a wedding for the daughter of dear friends. The bride and I had grown up in the same church family, and I was honored by the request. I assumed, perhaps too quickly, that her vision for the ceremony would reflect the faith we’d once shared.

But during our phone conversation, I was stunned by her words: “We don’t want any of that God stuff in the ceremony. No prayer. No Scriptures. Just a poem about love; maybe a few nice words about each of us, and then pronounce us married."

I wish I could say I responded with grace and compassion. Instead, caught off guard, I recoiled. I judged, though not in a harsh tone. I told her I probably wasn’t the right person to do the ceremony, suggested a Justice of the Peace, and quietly distanced myself.

Over the years, other ministers have tried to reassure me: “You did the right thing.” But did I?Looking back, I see more clearly now—not just her choice, but my reaction. It was too easy to exclude God by not first seeking His wisdom. I reacted to her exclusion of God by excluding her. I failed at loving-kindness.

Jesus calls us to something greater than being right—He calls us to be like Him. To show mercy. To listen. To love without needing to control the outcome. In hindsight, I missed an opportunity not just to represent Christ, but to be Christ’s heart to her.

Years later, the Lord brought this memory back to me while reading Luke 6. I was struck by Jesus’ words:“Give away your life; you’ll find life given back… Giving, not getting, is the way.”

What if giving love means letting go of our need to be right? What if generosity of spirit is the very thing God uses to reveal Himself to others?

So I asked God to be the Lord of my past. (He is, anyway.) I’ve asked Him what I can do now. His answer is simple, and it meets me with both grace and challenge: "Give. Love. Forgive. Pour yourself out."

Today, perhaps you’re holding on to something that needs to be surrendered. A moment you wish you could redo. A person you’ve judged too harshly. Or maybe you’re facing someone whose choices grieve you—and you're not sure how to love them well.

The answer may not be easy, but it is holy: Give. Love. Repeat. And trust God to use every surrendered moment to redeem both you and the ones you’ve been called to love.

Prayer:

Lord, I surrender my past mistakes to You. They've been many. They're so far away, and yet when I close my eyes sometimes, they are there before me. Teach me to lead with Love, not judgment. Help me to be generous with grace, just as You’ve been so generous with me. Where I have failed to love, let Your mercy speak louder. Please redeem and heal what I cannot go back and undo. Guide me daily in the Master's way of living—The Way of laying down my life. . . The Way of Love. Amen.

© Copyright 2017, 2022, Rewritten July 2025; Gary Landerfelt; MyPericope.com