Haven’t we all imagined what we’d do if we won the lottery? Haven’t we all dreamed of having a fortune?

The Gospel of Luke is all about fortune. It’s about a reversal of fortune, of what it means to be a people of God’s fortune. It’s also about what causes us to miss out on God’s fortune.

In that Gospel, Jesus says, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good portion—packed down, firmly shaken, and overflowing—will fall into your lap. The portion you give will determine the portion you receive in return” (6:38, CEB).

One of the reasons we miss out on God’s fortune is because we cling tightly to our fortune. We don’t give out of gratitude for what God has already done in our lives. To receive God’s fortune, we have to open all that we are to God’s purposes. When we do that–when we give–God give us great fullness.