Is it true that "What goes around comes around" or is payback the answer?

Do you believe that “What goes around comes around?” I’ve always found the natural law of “sowing and reaping” fascinating.

Years ago, I recall talking to a female relative about this very thing. Unfortunately, her husband had an affair, which led to a fairly amicable divorce. However, afterwards, he treated her very poorly, especially with regards to their children. She would confide in me about her spouse’s verbal cruelty and belittling behavior. Needless to say, it broke my heart to see what she was going through. After the initial feelings of sadness, thoughts of retribution filled my mind. Finally, I found myself circling back to the principle of ‘sowing and reaping” - That how he was treating her, would eventually come back to him. I wasn’t necessarily welcoming it, but I think that knowing that there would be some form of payback helped ease my mind.

I think that we all know what it’s like to be on the receiving end of someone’s bad attitude or mistreatment. As you were going through that situation, was your initial thought one of forgiveness, understanding, or revenge?

A number of years ago, I watched part of a series called Revenge. It is a story of intense retribution, focusing on the emotional and moral costs of the lead female character’s actions. I started watching it as I like the actress playing the main character, Emily VanCamp. Much like the current trend in television, it started out as entertainment and fairly innocent, but by the end of season two, it took a significant dark turn, shifting the show from a focused vendetta to a dangerous, high-stakes thriller.

Around the same time, I read a book called The Bait of Satan by John Bevere. Although it is about living free from the deadly trap of offense, it heavily addresses themes of vengeance, retaliation, and bitterness as direct consequences of taking offense. Ironically, I was reading this book at the same time that my husband and I were going through some turmoil with another couple. It all began when we were in Southeast Asia on vacation together. My husband and I declined to tour a Buddhist temple with them because of our personal convictions. They took it personally, became offended, and unfortunately, the relationship started breaking down from that point on. Our friendship became a story with a sudden ending.

Back to sowing and reaping…Some call it karma, destiny/fate, or even comic justice. I prefer to call it as the Bible says, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” (Galatians 6:7)

My husband also reminded me of a saying about sowing and reaping, which is:

Sow a thought, reap an action. 

Sow an action, reap a habit. 

Sow a habit, reap a lifestyle. 

Sow a lifestyle, reap a destiny. 

Lessons learned: I don’t recall where I heard this, but I believe it to be true - “How you do anything is how you do everything.” 

So, the next time you’re wrongly accused, or an injustice has been done against you, perhaps instead of thinking of ways to get back at this person, you can rest confidently, knowing that “what goes around, comes around. However, more importantly I’m also reminded of another scripture found in the book of Luke, chapter 6, verses 27-36, which talks about “Loving Your Enemies - But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you…”

‭‭Sowing and Reaping - It seems as if it is one law that is inevitable. It will catch up to you!

Lady Justice