The Law of Reciprocity

Recently a good friend of mine told me the following true story. I was enthralled with it, and asked him if he would write about it just as he told it to me. He did, and gave me permission to post it here. The one condition was that he remain anonymous.

"For any metaphysical buffs out there:

About two weeks ago on a very cold day, I came across a shabbily dressed man, one clearly living on the streets, sitting outside my supermarket having lunch consisting of a bag of potato chips, a can of Goya beans being eaten with a spoon, and a bottle of Gatorade. It was emotionally disturbing to see such despair in a human being's attempt to survive. Considering how I might give money to someone in need without offending his dignity, I was in a bit of a quandary. So after passing his table, I returned to his table holding out a $10 bill (all I had with me) saying to him that I had seen this money under his chair and thought it had perhaps fallen out of his pocket. His response was that he had not seen any money under his chair when sitting down. Well, I told him the money was his if he wanted it. He graciously accepted, with heartfelt thanks.

"Fast forward another week, I was standing in line at the supermarket, and there was what appeared to be a poorly dressed young woman of color checking out using store coupons for various items being purchased. By all appearances as well as her accent she may have been of Haitian descent, and I had to curiously wonder at what was an anomaly in a rather upscale supermarket. Only a short moment after stepping away with her purchases, and while I was being checked out, she turned and coming up to me, handed me a $10 bill. I was puzzled about why she was doing this, and she said she wanted to give me $10 toward the purchase of my groceries. I cannot remember when I have ever been so humbled, while thinking it should have been the other way around. 

Afterwards, I approached her with thanks, and putting my hand on her shoulder, I asked why she had shown such kindness towards me. Much of what she said was indiscernible, when in broken English she explained that her mother and her grandmother, had always taught her to do kind things for others...and I was the one she had chosen. 

This paranormal moment reminded me as something worthy of Rod Serling's 'The Twilight Zone.'"

My friend happens to be a very kind, cultured and well-educated man. I feel that there could not have been anything in his appearance or manner to indicate to anyone that he was in need. When he first told me this, he seemed completely unaware of the connection between the two events. The ten dollar bill seemed to be the only common denominator. He said his first instinct was to refuse the money from the woman. "Oh no, you would deny her a blessing by doing that," I cautioned, "this was your blessing in return for helping out your fellow man."

"The (spiritual) Law of Reciprocity, also known as the Law of Sowing and Reaping, allows us to receive as a result of what we give or do. Scripture makes it clear we might receive the same thing we give, such as mercy (Mt 5:7)...Typically, we receive to the same degree we give." (Larry Fox)

The law of reciprocity is also used in business and psychology.. and there is even a law of physics in the same vein. I prefer to think it all started with the "spiritual" law.

Knowing what a kind and generous man my friend is, I think he will be seeing more of the Law of Reciprocity popping up in his life.  Next time he won't be so puzzled when it happens.

Love and Peace,

Marilyn