Coming Around

Have you ever heard the saying, "What comes around, goes around?" Are you aware it's a biblical principal?

I remember riding the carousel somewhere in my past. Or, as I recall it, the "merry-go-round." You would mount an old colorful wooden horse of your choice. After the ride had been filled with people, the carousel would start, slowly, and off you would go. First, the horse would move up, as you went along, then, when it reached its peak, it would descend, all the while moving around in a circle. And so forth, and so forth to a dizzying effect. Bells and whistles! Around and around she goes!

Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not,
and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. -Luke 6:37-38

If we give to God, it will come back to us, not only what we give, but in surplus. Surplus? Jesus says, "good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over." I like that talk about surplus. However, if that part of the verse is true then the rest of the verse is true. If we judge, we will be judged. If we condemn, we will be condemned. If we forgive, we will be forgiven. The principle is clear and straightforward. What comes around, goes around.

No matter how great our prayer life is, how much we praise God, how spiritual we think we really are, at our best we're still flesh and flesh will falter, flesh will fail, and flesh will not please God. We may have been in the church for a long time and seem to have finally gotten our act together, but years later, we will look back and say, "I remember saying this and saying that and how wrong I was even though at the time I thought it was right." It will happen. Count on it.

This principle teaches us that we should not go around with a pointy finger passing out judgement against others just because we feel we know better. You may be stronger than this brother. You may be further down the path than this brother. But, he is stronger in other areas that you're not. And he has reached points that you haven't reached yet, also. You can't see them, only God can see into the heart of a man. Only God can judge with His righteous judgement. Here's a good point: God doesn't need our help.

Our focus needs to be on God. Keep your eyes upon Him. Set our eyes on things above not on things of this world.

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that
shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap
corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life
everlasting. -Galatians 6:7-8

Whatever a man sows, that's what he will reap. A man does not plant watermelon seeds and apple trees sprout up. A man sows watermelon seeds, watermelons come up. A man sows apple seeds, apple trees come up. Common sense, right? A man does not sow corrupt seeds of the flesh to expect good things to sprout. No, if a man sows seeds of the flesh (lust, hatred, discord, jealousy, selfishness, etc.), corruption comes up. If a man sows seeds of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control), life everlasting comes up.