Sustenance #2—Compelling Cooperation

Therefore, however you want people to treat you, so treat them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:12

God has a sense of humor: He made the mathematics of selfishness compelling! Recognizing that being judged fairly, being taught effectively, and having the resources we need from God through other people is important. He made it possible for these things to happen—even ungodly people know how to give good gifts when their children ask. To accomplish his purpose, he made cooperation more attractive than competition. Imagine how much more relaxed, fearless, confident, content, and secure we’d feel if we knew our needs would be met without having to overcome someone else to succeed. Imagine how much less concerned, fearful, uncertain, uneasy, and threatened our neighbors would feel if they knew everyone was overcoming obstacles to help them succeed and be happy. Knowing that everyone in our community was acting on each other’s behalf would make us glad to be in them, especially if we were basing our behavior on our understanding of the behavior we’d all like to experience. Self-centeredness is the wrong kind of selfishness, because self-centeredness pits us against everyone else; but godly selfishness puts everyone in our corner—and it puts us in theirs. This is what Jesus means when he exhorts us to “love our neighbors as ourselves.” Trusting God to meet our needs through the agency of others, and their needs through our love, allows us to participate in the process he designed. Isn’t it funny how the Golden Rule makes it possible to be for ourselves by being for others?

O God, who loves the cheerful giver, grant me the courage and confidence I need so I will gladly cooperate in the giving of all your gifts.