See what you hear- 4:24-25

and he said to them, see what you hear... or watch what you hear or take note of what you hear.
The NRSV has pay attention to what you hear- the NIV, consider carefully what you hear.
This comes straight after, 'let anyone with ears to hear listen!'

The measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you. For to those who have, more will be given ; and from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.

Puzzled over this. I think its basically saying that- if you put into practice well- or use well what you hear, or take heed well- then the same seriousness of intent and perhaps a reciprocal love will be given back to you- but even more than this will be given you- perhaps a greater love and a greater seriousness of intent. And if you don't do anything with what you hear- if you are like the hard ground beside the field that is used as a thoroughfare, or the shallow soil that does not allow the seeds to take root- then you have not taken heed- you have not listened and responded- or at least have not responded appropriately- and the love of God and seriousness of intent is taken away.

The love of God and seriousness of intent probably doesn't quite capture it- and from other parts of the bible I know it doesn't work on a reciprocal arrangement- well if I love God and do this for him, he'll do stuff for me and love me- We love because he first loved us- He is the initiator – and the grace giver.

On the other hand – The reformation probably gives Protestants a bit of a blind spot here- a fear of works. Luther certainly regaled against James- what did he call it- a strawy epistle? There is often a dichotomy that sits falsely in our heads- works and grace- and it doesn't work like that, they are not mutually exclusive, its not an either or. It is 'all of grace' (thank God) but not cheap- hard won- and if you love me you will obey my commands- 'The measure you give' is in response- even in those who do not yet know what (or who) they are responding too- (It seemed like the thing I should do, conscience, the natural thing to do, what is right or good). Actions do not come out of a vacuum- nor for that matter thoughts- so the people who give people drinks of water, visit them in prison or clothe them when they are without clothes and thought they were just doing it because what else would you do- are giving a good measure; and Jesus receives these actions on his account- though they didn't know they were responding to him- they had responded well- they had 'heard well', had taken note of what they heard and hence the measure they gave. And these impulses and messages they are picking up from the source (in however a veiled way) and acting on- are somehow given back to them from the source- they get the measure back and still more will be given you.