The Law Of Reciprocity

Posted by Rev. Mark Slay

There is a law in the Scriptures that you cannot get away from and that law is the law of reciprocity. This simply means that whatever a person sows, that is what they also reap. Whatever you put out is what comes back. We all live in this law.

We know Galatians the 6th chapter says, "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap." Notice this verse says whatever you sow. So although the context of this verse is finances, by making this statement he broadens it to whatever you may sow, that's what you'll reap; nothing more, nothing less.

He goes on to say, "For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life." You can sow things in your life that are good or you can sow things that are bad. You can choose to sow to your own flesh, your own desires, or you can choose to sow to the Spirit. The flesh is selfish and can get stirred up over the wrong things. The results of sowing to the flesh are never good, but if you sow to the Spirit and you sow generosity, and love and forgiveness then the Spirit will respond and sow back into your life and bless you.

Now, we must make sure we do not grow weary in doing good for in due time we will reap. It takes time to reap; it doesn't happen overnight. Due time is pretty vague isn't it? Generally due time is when you've met the requirements. We must also make sure that we are not doing anything to teardown with our right hand what we are building with our left. In other words, you may be the most generous person around but have so many things in your character, behavior or thinking that will destroy what you are building with your generosity.

Now, some people don't reap simply because they give up. But if God ever said something is so then it will be so today; it will be so tomorrow; it will be so 100 years from now. Whatever God said is right is still right today.

Luke says this, "Treat others the same way you want them to treat you." You want God to make something happen in your life? You be the one to make something happen in somebody else's life that they could not make happen for themselves and God will take that and make something happen for you that you couldn't make happen for yourself.

James says, "Judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy." You want to be shown mercy at the judgment seat and thru life? Then you better show mercy to others. If you don't show mercy on other people's lives then don't be surprised when there is no mercy shown on yours.

II Corinthians 9 says, "Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully." This applies to everything, whatever you do. It's not just what you sow but also the measure to which you sow. If you sow a little, then you reap a little. If you sow a lot, then you reap a lot. Don't forget it's over time tho.

Tell yourself right now that you will do good, you will do right and never get tired of it. For in due time you will reap your harvest if you do not grow weary.