If you give to others, you will be given a full amount in return. It will be packed down, shaken together and spilling over into your lap. The way you treat others is the way you will be treated. (CEV)

Have you ever given of yourself to someone that has not treated you the way you would treat someone? I have! When I read this verse, my mind immediately returned to my recent trip to visit my mom who lives in a memory care home. Due to her choices, my mom and I were estranged for decades resulting in her not being a part of my children’s childhood. As I wrote those words, I could deeply feel my past hurts; however, I am full of joy when I serve her now and, thankfully, she does not even remember our past hurts. I know that she has always loved me because Christ’s healing in me has allowed that love to shine through to my heart.

‍

While meditating on this verse to start writing this devotion, God revealed to me that my mom treated her second husband in the way that she is being treated by my sister and I now! That situation seems upside-down to me, because he did not treat my mom well, but she served him well. Now I can see her example as living out this verse. Being estranged from my mom was very hard, and I still cannot understand it all. But I do know my mom has accepted Christ and will be in heaven with me for eternity! Christ has opened my heart to generously serve and love her.

Have I always treated people the way I would want to be treated? No! Just like Paul writes in Romans 7:15, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do” (NIV). Every day my emotions, events, and exhaustion can get in the way of me being generous to others. I am capable of intensely expressing my opinion in a loud voice, but I want others to speak to me in a calm, respectful voice. Then, events in my daily schedule make me stingy with my time, so I do not reach out to help others like I want to. Finally, exhaustion from the stresses of life can push me to focus on myself instead of others.

‍

Today’s verse is found in the Sermon on the Mount, which includes many of Jesus’ teachings about how we should treat each other while always choosing to love first. He emphasizes humility, forgiveness, and generosity in our care of others. In caring for my mom through her dementia, Abba has shown me that treating others in a way that I want to be treated is a gift to me that will return in full, over and over. It is a true reflection of His love for us when we treat others with love.    

Abba, please impress on our hearts each day in this Christmas season to give love, forgiveness, and humility with abundance to all that we encounter. May we generously treat others in ways that we want to be treated because these actions will reflect Your love for ALL of us. You gave us the ultimate gift of love when You sent Your son as a babe to die for us! We pray that You give us one person each day to share Him with in this Christmas season. We love you, Amen.