“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38
I was out on Antelope Island last night in the midst of the Great Salt Lake in Utah. The trip out was interesting because you have to cross a lengthy causeway where the air is filled with a horrific stench. The combination of the salt, sulfur, and decaying matter causes a smell that makes most other smells seem tolerable.
The island itself was beautiful! There are 40 freshwater springs on the island that provide fresh water for an abundance of wildlife and plant life on the island. It is amazing to see all of this life that is surrounded by a lake that is dead. The springs provide living water in the midst of despair and decay.
Today, we were in Provo and were able to see Utah Lake. This lake is entirely different in nature as it contains freshwater and much life. The interesting thing is that the two lakes are connected by a river.
So, what’s the difference? The Great Salt Lake is a taker only and not a giver. Fresh water flows into it, but there are no streams of water flowing out. The minerals and salinity simply build up within the lake so that it reaches the point that life cannot survive. Utah Lake, on the other hand, not only takes in fresh water, but it has an outlet that passes it along. The flow of water into, and out of, the lake allows it to maintain a freshness that makes life possible.
Our spiritual lifes are similiar. We have a choice to make. Will we be takers only, or givers as well. A taker is willing to benefit from the love and giving of others but is unwilling to pass any of that along. Soon life becomes stagnant and the soul becomes a “dead sea” within us. We were created to both give and receive. To maintain a healthy spiritual life, we must be constantly giving that which has been given to us. Jesus points this truth out throughout His life and in the verse above, we see that we cannot outgive God. Nothing we give can ever empty, or deplete, the love God has for us. In fact, our giving of God’s love to others serve to increase it in us – not decrease it.
May you be found giving so that life flourishes in and around you.
Tom's Treasure 
The Great Salt Lake Has A Very Unique Ecosystem and Does Work That Is Performed In Very Few Other Places. It Is probably the Most Important Body of Water In North America for Migratory Birds.
Charles,
Yes, I understand the lake has a very complex ecosystem that is very important, and perhaps critical, to the survival of many birds and other life. I do believe it is there by God’s design and creation and enjoy spending time there rejoicing in God’s creativity and wonder. It was used in an illustrative manner, a parable if you will, to try to help people see the need to give of themselves as a part of life. Obviously, the comparisons do break down and for someone such as yourself, they evidently break down far too soon.