What You Give is What You Will Get

With love as with life, what you give is what you will get. What you plant, you will eventually harvest; what you set in motion, will sooner or later come back upon you. Nobody but you can plant the seeds of your love into the heart of another. This is something you must do, or it will not get done. Each of us has love to give, which if we refuse to give that love, what if no one else does? However slight, the world will actually suffer loss; life will be that much less hospitable. Think how impoverished the world is due to the love not given, the seeds not planted.

It isn’t always true, of course, that what you give is what you get. Sometimes you receive a harvest of affection from another that you did not really earn. In that case, others planted, and still others nourished what you were fortunate to be there to harvest.

Sometimes you attempt to plant as best you can the seeds of your caring into a hardened, unreceptive, unbelieving heart. And you derive no yield. This is why Jesus of Nazareth, that Johnny Appleseed-like planter of love into the human heart, said you should keep on casting forth the seeds of caring regardless of those who don’t let it in, whether only for now or forever. He said that people’s souls were like soil types, so that even if some soils – make that souls – do not yield the fruit of fellowship and reciprocity, others will, and in sufficient quantity and quality to more than justify your planting. So be seek to plant the seeds your caring anyway, for you can never know for shore how it will ultimately affect others. I have had persons thank me for something I have no recollection of ever doing for them. And rather than attempt to deny it, which could be frustrating to that person, simply say “thank you.”

I have found this true in my life and the lives of others I have been fortunate to know. I’ve known people who had an indomitable good will, who saw the best in others and gave of themselves in countless little ways. The fruit of their lives always turned out to be well worth their efforts, the yield far greater than their planting of the tender seeds of caring.

I have been privileged to be the pastor of such persons at the end of their days. I have witnessed the streams of visitors, calls, cards, letters, flowers, food. I have heard stories of the little ways they had been there for others, shown caring when it needed to be shown. While their deeds might not have been significant or crucial, their impact was on those affected.

I remember an exchange years ago with a woman and her family as she lay dying of cancer. She was overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support. Her daughter said, “Mom, you are only getting back what you have given.”

She responded, as much to herself as to us, “When did I give all this? I guess I was too busy enjoying myself to notice.”

Her son agreed: “You’ve given so much of yourself so freely for so many years, that you probably didn’t even think about it. What everyone is doing for you now is a small thank you for all you’ve done for them.”

With tears, she said, “Well, I guess I’d better accept it, then. I can’t do for others now, so I just better let others do for me.”