In John 15:13 "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends", we are given a perspective of the magnitude of love. One of the primary qualities of love is the preference of others’ best interest over your own self interests. The world would convince us that we must live in scarcity and fearfully hoard in order to make ends meet. Wars are initiated over resources. Men, women, and children are killed over oil, gas, real estate, gold, silver, and other resources. Men are on a quest to acquire more only to find the next level of acquisition does not appease the appetite.
Jesus said "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth." A better translation might be: "Blessed are those who live in moderation, for they shall inherit the earth." Moderation is consistent with the teachings and actions of Jesus Christ. He had access to all the wealth and resources of this earth. He could multiply fishes and loaves of bread AS NEEDED. He was an excellent finder of fish as the disciples found out before and after his resurrection. When he fed the multitudes there was always sufficiency but no excess. Similarly, when The Heavenly Father fed the children of Israel manna in the wilderness, there was always sufficiency but no excess. Attempts to hoard the manna resulted in the manna going bad (it bred worms, and stank). During the entire forty years in the wilderness, all the people had sufficient food. The Heavenly Father had an infinite supply of manna but distributed it in moderation.
Moderation denotes a balance or equilibrium… not to little, yet not too much. Moderation is relative to a person’s calling. No two callings are alike. Does a man who is called to be a gardener require the same resources of a man called to be an engineer? Does a single man have the same housing requirements as a family of six? It’s all about equilibrium and balance. What is the factor that oversees equilibrium? Love. Love is the defining characteristic of a man who gives to his friends. In John 15:14 Jesus called the disciples his friends. Jesus knew that he was about to lay down his life on behalf of the disciples. In John 3:16, GOD was laying down the life of His Son on behalf of the whole world. The motivating force was love, the greatest love.
The Kingdom of God on earth will be established by moderation, balance, and equilibrium. The current imbalances will disappear. Men will be motivated by love to share the wealth of the land. No longer will the quest of men be excess but balance and equilibrium. Greed will dissipate from men’s hearts as love has taken command. The attics and offsite storage buildings will be emptied and the contents will be distributed to those with needs. The orientation of scarcity will be replaced by this "greater love" spoken in Scripture. New friendships will be forged.
In contrast to this greater love is the man who uses people to get ahead in life then tosses them by the wayside. How many of us have viewed a person by what he or she could do for us. I must admit that I have. How many of us looked at at rich man based on what he could do for us? Let’s be honest. The subtlety of scarcity has resided in the recesses of our soul for most of our lives. Children want the toys of other children. Teenagers compete for acceptance among their peers. Adults compete for jobs. The list goes on. Giving is the basis of "laying down your life". Jesus was given for our redemption. The disciples gave their lives to spread the Gospel. What are you giving today? What did you give yesterday? What will you give tomorrow? Will you help somebody today with resources at your disposal? You may say "I have nothing". You have time! Give a little time. Write a little note. Make a phone call. Are you too busy? What is controlling your time?
Another aspect of this Scripture is the recipient of the love- friends. Prior to his death, the evangelist Lester Sumrall was reflecting on his life. He was on a plane returning from another international journey. He wrote an article about friends. In looking back he said that he only had one or two real friends in his life. Sure, he had many acquaintances but only a couple of friends. Many had aligned themselves with him. Many wanted to be associated with his success in ministry. By the world’s standards this man was successful. By his own standards his life was lacking. Was the success of his profession worth the deficiency of love on a personal level? The article was written in a tone of sadness. Here he is flying on his private jet near the end of his life and with all of the memories his focus was on the lack of true friends in his life. Many people want more friends but want to sit around and expect the friends to come knocking on their door. This attitude insures loneliness.
In Luke 6:38 (Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.), typically the focus is the quest to receive wealth and riches. People have held on to the promises in this Scripture for personal gain. Formulas have been promoted from the pulpit. Ministries have used the Scripture in their own quest for financial gain. "If you want to be wealthy, give to my ministry." Millions of dollars have been given based on this specific Scripture. Our Heavenly Father is not against us being blessed materially. However if our spiritual walk needs repair, He will not perpetuate the problem with "things". The focus of the Scripture is the word "give" not "receive". Giving is the prerequisite to receiving. If you give love to a person, he or she will become your friend. If you love your enemies, they will become your friends. If you give a little love, you will get little love in return. This is where the measure comes into play. If you give much love, you will ultimately receive much love. What would happen if you laid down your life?