THE WALDORF PRINCIPLE
On a stormy Philadelphia night, an elderly couple entered the lobby of a small hotel and asked for a room. The desk clerk apologized, explaining they were completely booked. “But I can't send nice folks like you out in the rain at 1:00 AM,” he said. “You can sleep in my room. It's not a suite, but you’ll be comfortable.” Despite their protests, the clerk insisted. “Don't worry about me. I'll be fine.”
The next morning the elderly man said to the clerk, “I’m impressed with you. You're the kind of man who should be the boss of the best hotel in America. Maybe someday I'll build one for you.” The clerk thought nothing of it. Then two years later he received a letter from the elderly man, reminding him of that stormy night. Inside he found a round-trip ticket to New York, inviting him to visit. The old man met him on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 34th Street. He pointed to a beautiful new building and said, “This is the hotel I'd like you to manage.” The old man's name was William Waldorf Astor, and the magnificent structure was the original Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. This humble clerk had no idea how his simple act of sacrificial service would garner such great rewards. (Habitudes, #2, p.61-62)
Jesus taught, “If you give to others, you will be given a full amount in return. It will be packed down, shaken together, and spilling over into your lap. The way you treat others is the way you will be treated” (Luke 6:38, CEV). We can’t codify it, or predict how or when it will happen. But this is a spiritual and scientific truth woven throughout scripture: the principle of sowing and reaping. Galatians 6:7 states, “A man reaps what he sows.” Scientifically it’s known as the Law of Cause and Effect: “for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.”
We ignore this truth, because rarely do we experience immediate results from it. But there’s no denying its reality. What we do for others (good or bad) will return to us many times over. Ask yourself, “What have I been receiving from others lately? Blessing? Disdain? The cold-shoulder?” We certainly can't speak specifically into each situation, but let’s begin by looking at ourselves, as well as the example of a Philadelphia hotel clerk and ask, “How can I better serve others?”
Principle: What we do for others we will receive many times over.
Ponder:
When have you experienced he Waldorf Principle in your life?
How can you become more conscious of the needs of those around you and serve them better?
Pursue: For a deeper dive, study Luke 6:27-42.
Lord Jesus, open my eyes to the needs of those around me, as well as opening my heart to serve others better.