Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
“The generous soul will be made rich,
And he who waters will also be watered himself.”
— Proverbs 11:25
Helping others ensures that others will help us in return. To receive, we must give; to gather, we must scatter; to find our joy, we must bring joy to others. It is the basis of the Christian lifestyle. Giving is a duty and a source of tremendous joy and satisfaction. Nurturing our spiritual growth is not a solitary effort but a journey that connects us to a larger spiritual community. Life is a journey of reciprocity, where God’s blessings reciprocate our actions of giving and nurturing.
To help others is to love. When you love your neighbor, God nurtures you in return. This divine cycle of reciprocity is not just a concept but a tangible assurance of God’s presence in our lives. It empowers us to help others. Reciprocity guides us on our spiritual journey and connects us to God’s higher purpose for our lives.
Serving Finds Grace
Exercise strengthens our talents and dormant faculties. We will only know what we can do if we try. We do not know how to be sympathetic until we dry someone’s tears and comfort the grief of another. Through these acts of kindness, we often find our growth potential. We gain instruction for ourselves as we try to teach others.
We are assured that God will nourish us in return when we nourish others. This divine cycle of reciprocity is not just a concept but a tangible assurance of God’s presence in our lives. It’s a cycle that empowers us to help others. Additionally, it guides us on our spiritual journey and connects us to God’s higher purpose for our lives.
Reciprocity
In the late 1970s, I played keyboards in a recording session for a particular producer. I charged him $100 for the session. He agreed. When I arrived at the studio, the producer told me he only had $50. He promised to pay the other $50 in one month. The guy seemed sincere, so I had no problem helping him. Several months passed, and no word from the producer. When I didn’t hear from him, I forgave the debt and put it out of my mind.
One morning, several years later, I received a suspension notice from the power company. They would turn off my lights if I didn’t pay the balance of $101.60 before noon. I didn’t have the money. I didn’t know what to do. So, I knelt by the sofa and prayed. Right after praying, there was a knock at the door. When I opened the door, there stood the producer who owed me $50. He handed me a $100 bill, apologized for not coming sooner, and told me to keep the change. This experience taught me a valuable lesson about the power of reciprocity. Proverbs 11:25 serves as a poignant reminder that when we water others, they water us in return.
