“A good man out of the treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks” (Matthew 6:45).

It has been said that we overflow with what we are full of, and that is very true. Another phrase making the rounds says, “I’m drinking from my saucer, ‘cause my cup’s overflowed.” The overflow into the saucer comes from the contents of the cup. The overflow is more visually obvious than the contents of the cup from which it came, which leads me to believe that the overflow is for the benefit of someone other than me. Since my overflow is for someone else’s use, then I have a responsibility to make sure that it is something of quality lest it be of no value.

The day before the truck from the sanitation department runs in my community, you can see garbage cans full and running over. In warm weather, insects will be swarming the contents. Year around, if you were to set up a watch, you could very likely observe varmints raiding the overflowing cans as well (I once found an opossum in mine!). Scavenger insects and rodents are germ generators and are carriers of disease everywhere they go. If I am filled with any of the works of the flesh—adultery, fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, etc. (Galatians 5:19-21), then that is what I will overflow onto my saucer, infecting others. If the meditation of my heart and the words of my mouth spread spiritual “diseases,” I will contaminate those who have contact with me.

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).
I am accountable for my contents and overflow. I am my brother’s keeper in the sense that I am responsible to be a producer of fruit of the spirit—love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). I must guard “…the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart…” lest I become negatively infectuous. We are to be edifying vessels for one another.

“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil, for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh” (Luke 6:45).

An overflow denotes abundance. The words of Jesus (above) indicate that it requires an abundance to have an overflow. My mouth will speak what my heart is full of. One of my favorite scriptures that represents the awesomeness of our God is 2 Corinthians 4:7, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” It is hard to comprehend that God would be willing to fill our fragile earthen vessels with the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God (see verse 6) to shine through us to convince the world of His Love. So fragile that we break easily and often times have to be mended, yet He allows us to overflow with His glory to light the darkness of the world. I am awed and humbled when I consider that.

What is in your saucer? It came from your overflowing cup. Unredeemed man is greedy and covetous by nature. “Mine,” says self. That self wants to hold fast in its fist the contents and the overflow of life. Christians can fall into that trap if we don’t nourish and fill our cups with the Word and practice it. If we covet, we can’t have what God has already given us, because He can’t give to a closed fist. (See Give God Your Fist for more on this subject.) Furthermore, don’t hang out with a covetous, greedy person lest they overflow their influence on you; they won’t inherit the Kingdom: “…nor covetous…will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:10).

God is not stingy! He gives in abundance. “...I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). These words of Jesus couldn’t be any clearer, but if we need more proof, consider this: “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). The kingdom!! What more do we want? The kingdom—that’s everything Jesus has. But, wait! Why has He given us the kingdom "abundantly"? That’s more than we need; that’s what abundance is—the overflow. The explanation is “Give, and it shall be given you: good measure, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you” (Luke 7:38). We can’t lose! Give to receive; the more we give, the more we receive. That’s safe financial planning and good nourishment for the soul.

He has given us all things to enjoy, and part of the enjoyment comes from passing the saucer's contents to someone else. God wants us to be a faucet, not a storage tank. Our gifts are not just for us to enjoy; they are to benefit others. “Though I speak with the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I have become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1). Who shall I love? Only myself--or include others who can benefit from my gifts? While we need a healthy love and respect for ourselves, the love that Paul was referring to was the giving, sharing kind of love that emanates from the Love of God and overflows from our cups into the lives of others.
“…not to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy…be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share…that they may lay hold on eternal life” (1 Timothy 6:18-19). God really does want us to enjoy what He has “richly” given us, but we will lose that enjoyment if we hoard the saucer.

May we guard our cup’s contents so that we overflow with the richness and goodness of the Kingdom of God. Only then can we enjoy what God has abundantly given us for our pleasure and for the benefit of the rest of the Kingdom of God. Be a productive branch with luscious fruit that brings an abundant harvest to the glory of God. And remember, the vine doesn’t eat its fruit; it produces for the benefit of its harvesters.

“Don’t just be an earning and spending machine….Everything God was, He is.”

(Bill Hybels in "The God You’re Looking For")

Be addicted to Jesus. What you are addicted to (full to overflowing) imprisons you. A prisoner of Christ is “free indeed.”
 

Be filled to the brim,
Running over with Him!

This Thanksgiving, let us share our saucers with someone who needs what we have to offer. The payback is more filling for the cup --- to share. The cycle is endless.