Reciprocity

Some years ago in a Bible Study group a lady told me I had the 'gift of reciprocity'.  I like that gift... it's a very cool sounding gift I thought to myself.   As I pondered  the lady's words over and over in my mind in connection to serving the Lord I began to wonder..... what the heck does that mean?  I discovered a very interesting detail in my study. The Ethic of Reciprocity or the Golden Rule is the one maxim, ethical code, or morality that all religions and philosophies have in common with God's Word. (Lev. 19:18, 34, Matt. 7:12, Lu 6:31)  Of course the variation is vast but the meaning is the same. As a green wordsmith I guess I'm not understanding what that lady intended by 'gift of reciprocity'. I don't really want to treat others the way I want to be treated.  I want to treat others the way God treats me.  

I've always been drawn to encouraging wives and mothers. I learned the hard way husbands and children don't come with a set of directions. Too often women find themselves operating in crisis mode.  I found myself in those crisis modes many times in my life.  As a terrified child running from abuse I would crawl into my imaginary cave and close the opening to where I could see out but no one could see me. Even as a grown woman my natural instinct is to hide.  It's just plain safer in my imaginary cave because I'm not alone.  Jesus was always there with me.  Eventually one learns that there's nothing better than a few crisis in one's life to strengthen the soul.  Then one day, I think it happens to everyone in some form, calamity hits your life and no amount of previous experience or coping mechanism will suffice.  You need Jesus and no one else will do. 

Life has road signs: warning signs, regulatory signs, guide and information signs, temporary traffic control signs, school signs, railroad signs and emergency signs.  I even came across a sign that said, "no traffic signs".  Oh that has to be the worst.  How are we suppose to know what to do or where to go?  That is just where I feel called to encourage and share..... not what my life experiences have taught me but what I learned when I gave the pain to Jesus.  Is that the 'gift of reciprocity'? 

A pearl to string: When you feel all alone in the midst of a crisis and no one is coming to rescue you that's where any individual can find the Lord.   When your whining and complaining end. When your screams and curses dry up. When you run out of tears.  When the silence is deafening. That's when you can hear that faint knock, knock, knocking at the door of your heart. Anytime you come to the end of yourself.  His smiling face and open arms welcome you.   

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me".  (Revelation 3:20)  Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.  (John 14:23) 

Oh how He loves you and me

                                         Lyndi