"ITOS"

Have you been to the grocery store lately and seen the awesome “ITOS” aisle ... Cheetos, Doritos, Fritos?  And have you noticed how big the bags can be?  They really big ones are huge, like half the size of you.  And have you ever purchased one of these bags of “ITOS” when it’s actually full?  No, you haven’t.  You open it and there are a couple of chips at the bottom and the rest of the bag is basically filled with air. 


That’s what Jesus was talking about in Luke 6:37 when He said we should give pressed down, shaken together, running over. 

The way you would buy grain or corn in Jesus’ day was ... you would bring your own bucket or container to the market and you’d say, “OK, fill ‘er up with Fritos,” or whatever. 

And they’d fill it up and then say, “OK, give me your money.” 

And you would say, “Wait a second.  Shake the bag a little.  Stomp on it some.  Let it settle a bit.  Then put some more in there and shake it again, and stomp on it again ... then pour some more in there.  Now keep on doing that until it’s truly full - and then I’ll pay you.”

But until then, it’s just like a bag of “ITOS” -- mostly full of air. 

So when Jesus says give in pressed down-shaken together-running over-fashion, He means give in the same you’ve been given to by God.  Has God been generous with you?  Yes, He has.  He has been extremely generous.  You have everything you need.  Your life is blessed.  You have a roof over your head.  You can put food on the table several times a day.  He has given to you in pressed down-shaken together-running over kinds of ways.  How can we even consider turning around and giving Him in return a bag of “ITOS” that has a couple of chips at the bottom and the rest of the bag just full of air? 

So the next time you go to your local grocery store, you should open the bag of “ITOS” right there at the checkout and say, “Hey!  I’m missing ‘“ITOS” here.  I am requesting a bag that is pressed down, shaken together and running over.”

You have my permission to do that.

And be blessed.