The Moral Balance

Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.

Psalm 37:1–2

There is a moral balance in this world — we reap what we sow. The ways we have handled relationships, responsibilities, and opportunities tend to come back upon us in similar manner in this life. And if by some means we have escaped blame and responsibility, in the next life we must stand before God and He who knows all and sees all will hold us accountable.

Consider these scriptures that proclaim this principle:

Galatians 6:7: “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”

Matthew 7:2: “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Proverbs 11:25: “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

Proverbs 17:13: “Evil will never leave the house of one who pays back evil for good.”

Luke 18:29–30: “‘Truly I tell you,’ Jesus said to them, ‘no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.’”

Luke 8:17: “For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.”

In the first chapter of Judges is the story of Adoni-Bezek, a Canaanite king who had been cruel to others, forcing his enemies into poverty. When he was defeated justice was done to him, and in the same way he had treated other he was treated. He cried out, “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off have picked up scraps under my table. Now God has paid me back for what I did to them” (Judges 1:7).

But this principle is true with our good and kind deeds as it is with our unkind deeds toward others. God takes note of all, and rewards us in kind. And the reward comes in three distinct ways. The first way is the fact that others treat us the way we treat them — those who are rude to others have rudeness returned to them, and those who are kind to others have kindness returned to them. The second way is that God promises us rewards and recompense in heaven. Though we may escape retribution from others while we are on this earth, no one escapes God’s justice in eternity, and though we who believe are assured that God forgives us because of the grace of Christ, we still must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ to give account for our lives (2 Cor. 5:10).

The third way, however, is what goes on in our hearts in this life. It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35), and the one who is mean, hardhearted, jealous, dishonest, distrustful, unkind, and cruel, that person suffers for his own attitudes toward others. Unkindness toward others is returned toward our own hearts. Unforgiveness embitters the soul that possesses it. Hatred is like an acid that does more harm to what it is stored in than what it is poured on, so the hater harms himself and damages his own heart.

But the reverse is also true, that those who are kind, generous, forgiving, and patient with others receive inner blessings.

Our bad experiences in this world make us suspicious of others, and we should be careful of being hurt. But we can take careful and prudent awareness and go too far. We can become cynical, be possessed of a distrustful spirit, even a judgmental spirit. The overly suspicious person has placed himself in a prison of sorts, he has taken away all of the flavors of life. He is like a man who takes an apple and rather than cutting away the bruise and eating the rest, discards the entire fruit except for a little bit that seemed the sweetest to him, but in the end even that tasted sour.

God will free us from this if we will let Him. The inspired psalmist tells us not to fret or worry or obsess over those do wrong. We are not God, and God promises to deal with each person with justice. The unjust will soon wither. Those who have been unkind to others will likely have that unkindness come back upon them in this life — either by others or by their own hearts. The cruel are mastered by their meanness. And if they escape public punishment, they cannot escape the inner punishment of the soul, or the eternal punishment of the eternal God after death.

Our hope is to trust in the grace of God, to treat others fairly and even generously, and to forgive others. Anger and a longing for retribution is a burden we were not meant to carry. Trust in God and enjoy the blessings He has for you. As you have opportunity, do good to others. Those who trouble you, those who have harmed you or your loved ones, release into His hands, and your life will be more blessed here.