Read: Galatians 6:1-10
In the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool, England, the destruction of generations of enslaved men, women, and children is remembered. The price innocent people have paid for the greed of others is dreadful. But theirs is not the only cost. Engraved in a wall of the museum is a profound observation made by Frederick Douglass, former slave and advocate for human rights, which reads, “No man can put a chain about the ankle of his fellow man without at last finding the other end fastened about his own neck.” In the act of dehumanising others, we dehumanise ourselves.
The apostle Paul put in another way when he wrote, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap” (Gal. 6:7). Paul’s words gives a stark reminder to us that our choices have consequences, and that includes how we choose to treat others. When we choose to hate, that hate can return to us in the form of consequences that we can never fully prepare for. We can find ourselves alienated from others, angry with ourselves, and restricted in our ability to serve Christ effectively.
Instead, let us choose “not [to] grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap … As we have opportunity, let us do good to all” (Gal. 6:9-10). Sowing seeds of greed and hatred reaps corruption, loss, and pain. But if we sow love and kindness, we will reap eternal gain. Always remember that the seeds we sow today determine the kind of fruit we will reap tomorrow.
