Good begets good. A good turn deserves another.

Well-known phrases we have all heard and used in our essays. It is every man’s innate need that the good that I do is rewarded with good.

Even Cain who was hap-hazard in giving God a gift, wanted to find favour with God after giving his gift.

We have made our need for the good we do to be rewarded, into a reality. Yet, the idea that “good begets good” is NOT a reality.

I imagine an exchange commonly heard in most households with kids that goes like this:

Child: But, this is NOT fair!

Parent: What is FAIR?

Because the adults have learnt that not everything is fair.

Even young children understand the concept of “fairness” – which is the sense of righteousness as the Bible calls it. Humans desire righteousness. When I do a good thing, I desire that I receive a good return. This is one end of the spectrum.

In the Christian community, good may not always beget good. How does one manage this disappointment? It has come to a point whereby a believer has sub-consciously made himself to believe, “When I do something good, I do not ask for a good return.” This is the other end of the spectrum.

How do we avoid these two extremes?

Let us use an example of lending money.

On Lending Money.

Say a friend comes to you to borrow money. The friend is in dire need for financial help. So you obliged. (You subconsciously believe that good begets good and a good turn deserves another, and you believe he would do the same for you.) So you lend him the money and he returns the sum in due course of time.

Fast forward 3 years later, it is your turn to be in dire need. You approach the same friend whom you had helped 3 years ago. Believing that one good turn deserves another, you plead with your friend for a loan. You reminded him of the good deed you did for him 3 years ago. However, for some well-sounding reason, your friend is unable to lend you money. And you are disillusioned, having lost trust in your friend.

Let us see what ancient Jewish wisdom teaches us about lending money.

God has instructed the Jews to set aside 10% of all they earn. 90% belongs to you, 10% belongs to God. Not that God truly needed the money, so this money is to be set aside to help the poor and needy.

So every month, one sets aside this 10% of one’s income. When a needy person comes to borrow money from you, you can lend him this money.

As this money was already set aside to belong to God (and not you), this mitigates the possible relationship fallout of a bad debt, as well as the disappointment of a friend who does not return the favour when you are in need.

What if you have no income – you are unemployed or have not started earning your keep?

In this instance, you are NOT allowed to lend to anyone. The money in your possession belongs to your parents or your guardian. You need to seek permission from your parents or guardian who will decide on how their money is to be used.

The above method will allow us to do something good without hurting ourselves.

For children who have yet to earn their own income, for now, it is good to practice saying “No” to lending money.