Planting the Seeds of Reciprocity

God is a giver, a giver of life. All of our lives are given to us freely by the creator. The air, the water, the soil, the fire, the trees, the plants, the food, and the technology are all gifts given free to us by the creator.

We are the ignorant ones. We put a price on God’s gifts because we have not learned how to share.

Another gift God gives us is redemption. Grace is not something we deserve or can earn based on our achievement status. In a grace-based culture, giving habits are common because we accept that our souls are recipients of God’s gift of grace.

Trusting relationships are built on reciprocity - we must give to receive. As one sister or brother contributes to the family, and another receives the fit, a community of reciprocity is manifested. Power-based and fear-based cultures are one-way abusive relationships: the flow of trust is toward the powerful, the leaders. In a goodness-filled culture, reciprocity flows freely, as do the gifts.

When brothers and sisters see themselves as equal recipients of God’s gifts and allow themselves to be transformed by God’s medicine and the circle of life, we learn to love and trust each other. Fear-based cultures stifle freedom through censorship, legalism, authoritarianism, status, and approval-based relationships. That’s not freedom, and that’s not love.

At the heart of redemption is forgiveness. We are God’s children. A good parent learns that letting their child struggle is good for their development. God knows what we can handle and is always ready to forgive and redeems us with love because God knows our heart best.

God commands us to give every being profound respect and honor for who they are - even if karmic mistakes have tarnished the Godliness in their soul. Recognizing all people are a child of God means always seeing their potential and reserving judgment of their being in the present moment. The only constant is change which is why God/Great Spirit extends redemption, forgiveness, and compassion to all Her Children, despite their past mistakes.