To get something in return?
Exactly. This is the reason that you will treat someone nice. If you treat them nice, then they will give you what you give them. So this is what you expect, you expect to get something if you are nice to people, then they are supposed to be nice to you. (this is used to prevent arguments, or with children, that new toy, or MONEY)
Why is it such a common thing even in those that do not believe what is common to the Christian faith?
1. Because everyone wants their children to have a good life, and not have any enemies, (though there will probably be some) and for their children to have good things in their life. So they teach them to be nice to others, so that they have fewer problems. The parents teach this, because they know that it works. If this has been taught, then what is the probability that these people will get what they put in. About 90% (because not all people are nice when someone is nice to them.
2. In Hosea 10:12-13 the Word says that you should "sow for yourselces righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you." (NIV)
This is what you can expect, to get something in return. Much like the old saying about "the Golden Rule"... to "treat others like you want to be treated," you will get what you pay for.
In verse 12 God told them that if they were to sow righteousness, to yearn, and long to be Holy like God is Holy; to be like the most high without sin. Then they would reap unfailing love....
But First:
First God said to them that they would need to break up their "fallow ground"
Definition of fallow - n land left unseeded during a growing season. adj land that is left unplowed, and unseeded.
The usage of fallow in this verse is the adjective. This means that the people hadn't even done the first step that they needed to do in order to come close to him. For example, can you plant something without first digging a hole to stick the seed into?
No (well you can throw the seed out, but it will usually get eaten first)
So, God is saying to the Bethelites that they have become complacent, that they are not doing anything to further their relationship with him. (you can tell this because the land was unplowed, and that if comes right out, and says so... "for it is time to seek the LORD") If they were already seeking him, then it would not say "for it is time to seek" it yould have said somethin like, "for you are seeking", and this would make this verse take on a completely different meaning.
If the people would have sowed righteousness, and tried to become more like God, then they would have received unfailing love. They would have received God's saving power, and it would have come down like rain. (Hosea 10:12 CEV) Plow your fields, scatter seeds of justice, and harvest faithfulness. Worship me, the LORD and I will send my saving power down like rain.
HOWEVER:
Because these people sowed wickedness, and they have reaped evil, these people got exactly what they deserve. You cannot say that someone who is always nice to someone deserves to have someone be hateful to them... That is just not how the system works. These people were cursed, and they were to have multiple adversities come against them. Their enemies will come and destroy all their strongholds, and mothers will be killed along with their children.
