A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, is how you will be given!
“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 NIV)
Nobody I have ever known believed the above promise more than my friend Mildred Wynette!
I first Met Mildred back in the 1970's when I was in charge of arranging live Gospel music for the Northwest Washington Fair. I needed to fill about 60 hours of time and so I was searching everywhere, and calling everyone I knew to find talented gospel singers to fill the many available spots. Someone told me about Mildred. They said she had just sung at their church, she did a great job, and they thought she would be a wonderful addition to the Fair’s singing roster. They said she was staying with a church lady for a few days, and gave me the phone number. I immediately phoned her to invite her to participate.
“Jesus is always so good to Mildred!”
Mildred was delighted for the invitation and spoke about herself in the third person, saying, "Praise be to Jesus! He is always so good to Mildred! And, Mildred always goes where Jesus provides for Mildred to go!"
On the day Mildred was scheduled to sing at the fair she showed up wearing flip flop shoes and a flowered moo-moo dress, and it fit! She was a large, beautiful black woman with a huge smile on her face.
She radiated joy as she sang and people reacted very positively to her!
Mildred believed with all her heart that God was not only able to supply her every need, but that he would do so without fail! In fact, it would be “a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over", she declared! She continuously expected and looked for doors of opportunity to open before her that she was supposed to walk through. When any opportunity was presented to her, she boldly moved forward and through them without hesitation or fear.
“Mildred always goes where Jesus provides for Mildred to go!”
When Mildred finished singing her stint at the Fair, a woman in the crowd approached her and asked her If she would be willing to sing a few songs at "her place". As always, Mildred immediately said, "Yes, Mildred always goes where Jesus provides for Mildred to go!" Mildred got the address of the place and wrote down the time she was expected to be there. Now she needed to arrange for her transportation to get there. She always expected God to provide that, too. While in our county she was staying with a church lady who regularly volunteered to host visiting ministers, evangelists, and singers who performed at her church. She also drove them around as a part of her generosity. Mildred had just sung at her church so asked her to drive her to this next "singing for Jesus opportunity". And, the church woman happily agreed!
But uh oh, the place it turned out to be!
Mildred had a portable PA System and tape deck that she packed around with her from place to place. She also had all her pre recorded sound tracks to sing along with ready to go. She got all this packed into the church lady's little car and off they went to find the address the lady she had met at the Fair had provided. It turned out to be Bill's Tavern!
Mildred, you can't go in there!
As soon as they arrived at the address and saw that it was a tavern, the church lady exclaimed, "Mildred, you can't go in there!" And Mildred said, "Why not? Mildred always goes where Jesus provides for Mildred to go!" And she got out of the car with her equipment and into the tavern she went. Right behind her marched the little church lady saying, "Mildred, Mildred, Mildred! This is the devils house!"
Let the gospel music fill the air!
As soon as Mildred walked through the door of the tavern she was greeted enthusiastically by the woman who had invited her. Soon Mildred got her system set up, plugged in her first tape and began to sing, "Jesus got ahold of my life and He won't let me go!" Her voice filled the room and so did her joy and love for her Jesus! She sang one song after the other, Old songs like Amazing Grace, How Great Thou Art, In the Garden, and The Old Rugged Cross.
God was there and at work
On one of the bar stools sat a prostitute carefully listening to every word. Soon tears started flowing down her cheeks as God touched her heart! She got up and walked over to Mildred and said, "Thank you dear lady for coming here tonight! Something has happened to me here and I want to change my life. I also want to give you something to help you do what you do for Jesus!" And the woman handed Mildred a huge wad of cash. Mildred reached out and took it, looked up and said with a great big smile, "Thank you Jesus!" When the church lady saw this she leaned over and said, "Mildred! You can't take that money!" And Mildred, standing there and counting it said, "Why not!" And the church lady said, "Because it's the devil's money!" And Mildred said, "The devil has had it long enough!" And, she was right!