“Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again” (Matt. 7:1-2).
We reap what we sow. People generally treat us the way we treat them. Yes, at times we try to do good to people and they do us wrong in return. But in general people treat us the way we treat them. Jesus said again, “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 to you…” (Luke 6:37-38).
Be kind to people and they will be kind to you. Be rude to people and they will be rude to you. Show respect to people and they will respect you. Make fun of people and they will make fun of you. Be patient with others and they will be patient with you. Be impatient with others and they will be impatient with you. Be merciful to others and they will be merciful to you. Be unmerciful to people and they will be unmerciful to you. Sympathize with others and they will sympathize with you. Have no pity for others and they will have no pity on you. Make time for others and they will make time for you. Have no time for others and they will have no time for you. Forgive others and they will forgive you. Hold grudges toward people and they will hold grudges toward you. Be forbearing with others and they will be forbearing with you. Be hypercritical of others and they will be hypercritical of you.
Smile and the world will smile back. Frown and people will frown back. Give and people will give back. Use people and they will use you. Love others and they will love you. Hate others and they will hate you. Compliment others and they will compliment you. Criticize others and they will criticize you.
Be humble and you will cause peace in people. Be prideful and you will provoke them. Be friendly to people and they will be friendly to you. Be conceited around people and they will be conceited with you. Speak to people and they will speak to you. Ignore people and they will ignore you. Remember others and they will remember you. Forget others and they will forget you.
Admit your faults to others and they will admit their faults to you. Deny your faults to others and they will deny their faults to you. Be loyal to people and they will be loyal to you. Betray people and they will betray you. Encourage others and they will encourage you. Discourage others and they will discourage you. Listen to others and they will listen to you. Pay no attention to others and they will pay no attention to you. Try to understand others and they will try to understand you. Be intolerant of others and they will be intolerant of you. Say good things about people and they will say good things about you. Speak evil of others and they will speak evil about you.
We do not always deserve the way people treat us. But often we do.
Kerry
