Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? (1 Peter 3:13, ESV)
A general rule is that when you treat others well, people will treat you well. If you are generous towards others, people will tend to be generous towards you. If you are compassionate towards others, people will tend to be compassionate towards you. On the opposite, if you are harsh towards others, people will tend to be harsh towards you.
If you don’t like the way you are treated by others, consider how you treat others. Do you look to build others up and encourage them? Or do you look to use people to your advantage? The way you perceive others will go a long way towards the way they perceive you.
Peter asks the question, ‘if we are zealous for the welfare of others, why would they not be concerned about our welfare?’ I have seen this as a pastor. I see that those who are giving, compassionate, and caring towards others have others who are giving, compassionate, and caring towards them. I have observed the opposite. Generosity begets generosity. Greed begets greed.
Finally, when we think about Jesus, he would treat us well – beyond what we deserve. He died for us. He loved us. But we don’t always love him back in the way that he has loved us. Actually, we never love him back in the way he loved us. But our calling is to love others as Jesus would love them. Jesus says that whatever you do for the least of these you do for me. When we love others, we are ultimately showing our love for Jesus. When we treat others well, it is Jesus we are treating well. The bottom line is that we can’t go wrong treating others well.
Reflection
- Reflect upon the way you treat others. Do you treat others in the way that you would want to be treated?
- Do you agree that the way others treat you is a reflection of the way you treat them?
Prayer
Thank you Lord that you do not treat me as I deserve. You love me with a kindness that I have not reciprocated. Help me to love you as you have loved me. Help me to treat others with the same loving kindness that you always show me. Amen.
Leave a Reply