What Goes Around . . .

You have heard it before but did not know that it was a biblical principle: "What goes around; comes around."

God's justice gives back what has been dished out. How we have treated others will be how we are treated. How we have judged others will be how we are judged. What goes around; comes around.

I have observed this principle while on several church staffs. I have seen someone who fired someone unjustly get fired unjustly. I have seen those who have gossiped about others have others gossip about them. I have seen those who lied to others have also been lied to.

But you know I have seen good things happen to. I have seen those who gave grace receive grace. I have seen those who were kind have kindness extended back to them.

I wonder how many Christians realize what they are doing when they treat the waitress or the clerk or anyone else without respect. Do they realize that they also will not be respected? Do they realize that what they are dishing out will come back to them? How many idle words would be said if people knew these words would come back to them?

When I was young and newly married I went to work for a man promised me a raise after working for three months. Four months passed with no raise. Finally, I went to my boss for what had been promised. He told me that he was not going to give me a raise and I could quit if I didn't like it. At this point the business was doing very well. It was buying other businesses. It certainly could afford my little raise.

I couldn't afford to quit. I honestly wanted to stay and hurt the business as much as I could. However, I got a word from the Lord. He said plainly, "Do not do anything. I will repay." I worked cheerfully until the Lord move me into a ministry position in another town. I had not done anything to the man or his business.

Not long afterwards I came back through this town to find that this man's business had failed. He was in his fifties and I knew that it must have been hard to look for a job at that age. I actually felt sorry for him but I knew what had happened. God had kept His word. The man was repaid for the way he treated me. (He may have treated many others the same way. I may have just been part of a group he had treated badly.)

I have observed this happening to many others over time. I have allowed it to be a principle for how I have treated people. I have had to fire people whom I supervised over the years but I never wanted to. I made sure that it was their decision rather than mine. They were fired because they would not comply with what needed to be done. I have asked God to never let me forget the pain of almost being fired myself (and mine was because I asked for something that had been promised to me). I have never forgotten and have tried to treat people with the utmost grace.

My actions are not entirely altruistic. I know that which I give to others will also be given to me.

Think about this as you interact with people. How do you really want to be treated?

Luke 6:38 (NIV)
³⁸  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."