The Measure You Use | The Wolfe Notes

These notes follow our 7-step rhythm for Bible study. Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotes are from the International Children's Bible.

The Measure You Use

(From Luke 6:37-45)

Apple Orchard at Harvest by lumix2004 at Pixabay

1. Summary

Wisely choose how you interact with others. It's easy to focus on other people's flaws, but you must focus instead on your own transformation. Then, when you see someone else struggling with a problem you've already overcome, you'll be prepared to lovingly help them. After all, you will be treated the same way you treat others, and you will become like the person you follow. So choose to be with people who bear good fruit, because the fruit they bear indicates what is in their hearts.

2. N/W/L Statements

1. I NOTICED that all of the advice is practical, actionable habits we could put in place today:
1. Don't judge.
2. Don't condemn.
3. Forgive.
4. Be generous.
5. Focus on your own transformation.
6. Help others who are experiencing troubles that are similar to the ones you have already overcome.
7. Determine a person's heart by their fruit.
2. I WONDER if the audience then felt the same conviction as I do today.
3. I think God wants us to LEARN that our interactions with others matter. We must carefully choose who we surround ourselves with and how we treat them.

3. Key Verse

It's the same with people. A person full of goodness in his heart produces good things; a person with an evil reservoir in his heart pours out evil things. The heart overflows in the words a person speaks; your words reveal what's within your heart. Luke 6:45 (VOICE)

Let this verse serve both as a reminder of how to examine my heart, and also of how I can discern the truth about others.

4. God's Character

1. God cares about how we treat others. (Don't judge or accuse. Forgive and give.)
1. A person who gives to others will get richer. Whoever helps others will himself be helped. Proverbs 11:25
2. But they tell others, 'Stay away. Don't come near me. I am too holy for you.' These people are like smoke in my nose. Like a fire that burns all the time, they continue to make me angry. Isaiah 65:5
3. Yes, if you forgive others for the things they do wrong, then your Father in heaven will also forgive you for the things you do wrong. But if you don't forgive the wrongs of others, then your Father in heaven will not forgive the wrong things you do. Matthew 6:14-15 
2. God cares about who we surround ourselves with. (Can a blind man lead another blind man?)
1. Happy is the person who doesn't listen to the wicked. He doesn't go where sinners go. He doesn't do what bad people do. Psalm 1:1
2. He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be given him: his waters shall be sure. Isaiah 33:14-16 KJV
3. Do not be fooled: 'Bad friends will ruin good habits." I Corinthians 15:33
3. God's discernment is way better than ours will ever be. (When the student has fully learned, then he will be like his teacher. Take the piece of wood out of your own eye. Each tree is known by its fruit.)
1. A person may believe he is doing right. But the Lord judges his reasons. Proverbs 21:2 
2. "More than anything else, a person's mind is evil. It cannot be healed. Who can understand it? But I am the Lord, and I can look into a person's heart. I can test a person's mind. So I can decide what each one deserves. I can give each one the right payment for what he does." Jeremiah 17:9-10
3. Jesus said to them, "You make yourselves look good in front of people. But God knows what is really in your hearts. The things that are important to people are worth nothing to God. Luke 16:15

5. Pray

Father God, dealing with other people is one of the most challenging parts of life, but this reality is not surprising to You. Thank You for the wisdom You give us to teach us how to love Your creation well. As we practice what You say, please draw our attention to the results: the body of believers who start looking more and more like You.

6. Act

• Treat others the way I want to be treated.
• Don't judge.
• Don't condemn.
• Forgive.
• Be generous.
• Focus on my own transformation.
• Help others who are experiencing troubles that are similar to the ones I have already overcome.
• Discern what is in a person's heart by the fruit they bear.

7. Annotation Notes

? Denotes a question, * a personal thought, x a cross reference, ! a connection, and italics a referenced source.

1. ? What else does the Bible say about measures? Luke 6:38 says that the way we measure, is the way we will be measured.
1. *God measures a man by his actions. Jesus issues a woe statement to the Pharisees for being hypocrites. They act like they honor the prophets, but really they do it just to showcase their own self-righteousness. In doing so, they identify themselves as the children of the prophet killers. He then says they are to, "fill ye up then the measure of your fathers." [you will complete the sin that your fathers started!] Matthew 23:29-33 Quotes from KJV and [ICB]
2. *God measures our portion, so we should not think highly of ourselves. "think soberly, as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith." Romans 12:3 KJV
3. *God works with accurate measures. An angel measures New Jerusalem with a rod of gold. Revelation 21:15
4. *God expects us to use accurate measures. You must have "true and honest weights and measures". The reward for doing so will be long life in the promised land. Deuteronomy 25:15
5. * God's measures are the only accurate ones. "Who has measured the oceans in the palm of his hand? Who has used his hand to measure the sky? Who has used a bowl to measure all the dust of the earth? Who has used scales to weigh the mountains and hills?" Isaiah 40:12

Sample these related resources:

• For notes on Matthew's perspective of this same topic.
• For a memory verse that reminds you to condemn judgments against you.
• To consider the obligatory act of forgiveness for every Kingdom citizen.
• For a month-long Bible study on generosity.
• To relax in your transformation; it's God's job, and He's really good at it.

Interested in more faith-related blogs? Then you're looking for Faith Food. At Faith Food, you'll find links to all our faith-related blogs and a short description of each.