Matthew (7:12): “In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you. . . .”
This has to be the biggest law of reciprocity. Always doing to others what you want them to do unto you even if they'd not directly do it back to you there's someone out there who they'll be more than willing to do it back or there's another person that will end up doing it to you. It's a very strong rule one that usually acts in a form of karma. If you're good, you'll always receive that act of goodness one way or the other. If you're giver, you'll be surprised that you wouldn't have to really ask for anything because they'll always be someone to give back to you. Though this rule doesn't work everytime because of how the world it, it has worked a lot of times more than any one can imagine.
Growing up I had noticed my dad used to put this into play but I didn't quite understand it at that time. He had this air around him, of always helping others and trying so much to push them forward, he didn't to offer help when it was within his jurisdiction and he did so with so much zeal. I didn't understand it and I had always sort of hated the act. Why help people that will never help you in the end. It got me pissed off and most times I'll think about it again, why was this man doing this?!
But I was ignorant, a Young pup that still hadn't seen the world or who knew little to nothing of how it worked. What changed? A lot of things did but first I saw it happen in the life of my dad. There was this person he'd randomly helped saved. The man had been in an accident and he just happened to pass by. When he saw the man, he didn't think twice and decided to take him to the hospital, he settled all the bills with the little money he'd made that day and came back home empty. That was a risky thing to do since there was hardly any thing in the house. I was annoyed as ever and I could hear my mom flair up too, but he sat us down and explained what had happened.
I could see my mom's demeanor change, she understood what he'd done but I didn't. Months passed, years passed and my dad had been diagnosed with diabetes, he kept pushing himself and taking medication. One day he had an attack in traffic, he couldn't breathe and there was no one in his car with him. That same person he'd saved saw his car and wanted to say hello. That was how he was found and immediately helped. He'd done the perfect exchange, his life for that person's and it saved him.
I learnt as I grew up, and have always found ways to help others. It doesn't always come down to only giving. Most times our attitudes and behaviors towards others give them a reason to also act in a respectable way. I always say that an environment helps shape an individual, that includes the people around it. One of the events on reciprocity that I've encountered that I'll never forget started with me in the university. I had gained admission and was ready to live my life, I'd gotten an apartment with a friend I made in school and I started to live.
Then some few weeks my dad called me and informed me that he met a man who's son was also in my university and he had nowhere to stay. He asked me if I was going to be willing to let the guy stay with me. Knowing how much a roof over an head means, I accepted and took the guy in. Few weeks to his stay with us, the guy who I had rented the apartment with started to act up, he was behaving badly towards the guy I had taken in.
He even called me out one day and said that I'd broken our agreement, that the guy had to leave immediately. I didn't say anything, I just smiled and said ok. I still didn't make any move to let him go. Then one day I called him and gave him instances, what if he was the one who needed help, would he have understood if someone wouldn't take him in for trivial reasons. I don't know what happened, but he saw reason and within months of staying together, he became really close to the guy we'd taken in and he stayed till he was able to afford money for his own place.
Fast-forward to some years later, I think I was in my year four when things went all bad for me. My parents had seen some really bad times financially and they couldn't afford to pay my rent. I did some part time jobs with school to be able to afford feeding and School stuffs. Then one day, when the landlord had had enough he threw me out of the house and I ended up with no place to stay. For weeks, I lived in the lecture hall, bathing when there was no one there and sleeping when everyone has gone. The conditions weren't the best of one and if I was found out I'll be thrown out.
One morning, I got a call on the phone and it was the guy I had helped. We talked for a while and he asked me how things were with me. I don't know why but I just opened up to him. He was surprised and immediately offered to let me stay in his place. I was overjoyed, that meant I didn't have to spend my days and night in a cold lecture hall again. I packed my things and went over to his place, he was so happy to receive me. To my greatest surprise, the guy I'd rented that apartment with was also squatting in the same house. We went on from housing someone to being housed by someone. Those are the sweet perks of reciprocity.
This is my entry to the challenge Reciprocity by @anttn in this Amazing new Community I just discovered. It offers a place for everyone and you can talk about anything as long as it is more geared towards unity and our everyday life. You can get the full details here, I hope to see you be part of this one.
Thank you for reading this, if you enjoyed this post or it connected to you in a way, I invite you to reblog, Upvote and drop a comment, I'll be glad to reply and Upvote for more content ❤️