Friday, December 25, 2020

Psalm 7:14-16

Psalm 7:14-16
Behold, he travaileth with iniquity and have conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.  He made a pit, and digged it, and is falling into the ditch which he made.
His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate (head).

The apostle Paul said it more simply in Galatians 6:7.
Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

The common phrase is,"What goes around comes around".  It is just true that there are consequences to all behaviors and the most obvious of all is that how we choose to live our lives and especially how we treat others is how life (and others) will treat us.

This is especially true in our personal relationships and in our workplace relationships. Trust is built upon honesty and kindness, upon fairness and good works. When we find a business person who we can trust, we repay in references, don't we? We tell our friends and give recommendations.

When we are kind to others, they usually are kind back to us. Even in the midst of this crazy world, we are able to create our own place of love and safety because when we treat others right, it comes back to us!

We have a favorite story in our family.  One of the grandkids had to interview a grandparent and so they chose my dad to interview.  The very last question they asked was "Do you have a word of advice you'd like to leave to then next generation?"  My dad thought for a minute and then responded, "Do unto others as you would have others do to you.  Just don't expect others to treat you well in return."

Do what it right.  Be kind.  But just realize that everyone is not going to treat you that way.  That was the advice of a man who had had many disappoint him over the course of his life.  Yet he still chose to live by that golden rule.

His words of advice are good.  We never do the right thing because we expect something in return.  We do it just because it is the right thing to do.

And yet, life has taught also, that in general terms if not in every specific, we get back what we give.   This is a moral universe where there is more good than bad.  We wake each morning expecting good things to happen.  We are surprised when the opposite takes place and so it should be.  We trust that life will give back what we put into it.

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