Payback

Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life? For the Son of man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay every man for what he has done.

[Matt. 16:24-27]

I have been reading the gospels of late and a principle that I am seeing in scripture keeps jumping out at me. The principle is this: The way we treat one another will be the way we are treated by God. I used to think of this as a threat and it would create dread within me. But, of late I am beginning to see this more in the light of a promise that is an opportunity. It is much like the story of the rich young ruler. When Jesus asked him to sell everything he had and give it to the poor and come and follow Jesus, he went away sad because he was very rich. But, if he had seen that God had just invited him into eternal fellowship that would last for eternity....what a blown opportunity! I realize that I blow opportunities daily to lay up treasures in heaven. I get so absorbed in the demands of my practice and life, that I can't see the good deeds that God has created for me to do. The good news is that we all get a fresh start every morning. God cares about our conduct. The way we treat others makes a big difference in how we will spend eternity. What God wants most from us is to show compassion and mercy to those around us, and to humbly live a life in contact with the Creator on a daily basis.