“As you would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise…”
All of us are familiar with the “Golden Rule.” We have heard of it since we were children. Jesus did not call it “golden” but that is our name for it, and it is golden. The rule simply states that we are to treat other people the way we want to be treated. Some have turned it around and said: “Do unto others before they do unto you.” Sadly, this is probably how most really feel, and they are not all outside of the church. You have probably discovered, as I have, that this rule is easier to memorize than it is to keep. There is a treasure of wisdom in the Golden Rule. It expresses some things that we need to remember if we are to live productive Christian lives. Following are some reasons that we call it the Golden Rule: The Golden rule expresses the desire of people. “As you would…..” Everyone desires just and fair treatment. We have almost made a fetish of fair treatment in our society. There are multiple lawsuits because people think that they have been treated unfairly. We desire fair play and honest dealings for ourselves. There is no fun in being fleeced, and there is no good humor in being humiliated. When one buys an automobile, he or she wants to be sure that they are getting a fair deal. When cashiers count our change, we want to be sure that we get the right change back. When we are at a ball game, we pay close attention to whether or not our team is getting fair treatment by officials. What the Golden Rule tells us is that if we expect fair treatment for ourselves we should expect to treat others fairly. The Golden Rule expresses the deeds of people. “As you would that men should do to you…..” It is not as easy for us to do right by others as it is for us to desire right treatment from others. As we deal with people on a daily basis, what do we actually do? Are we as careful to do right by them as we expect that they do right by us? Are we as concerned that we have treated people fairly as we are that they have treated us fairly? Christian people should take the initiative in doing good for others. Jesus certainly took this initiative. Many people came to Jesus, but He also went to others. We need to think about our deeds. Do we take initiative to be good, gentle, generous and gracious to others, or do we run roughshod over people when we perceive that they have gotten in our way? Which treatment do you prefer? All of us should be busy doing for others what we desire that they do for us. It expresses the duty of people. “As you would that men should do to you also to them likewise…..” I think that this text requires us to do the right thing for others before they think of it or demand it. We should even do good for others before they do good for us. The presence of the Spirit of God in our lives demands that we treat other people fairly. Right treatment should be expected of us. The presence of God’s Spirit in our lives should demand that we be selfless instead of selfish. Practicing the Golden Rule should be an imperative in our lives. Practicing the Golden Rule in our relationships with people is our duty. We should demand nothing less of ourselves. I know that living by the Golden Rule is not easy. There is a part of us, even with Jesus in our lives, that wants to live for ourselves, but we cannot always do that and be authentically Christian in our daily lives. Think about the Golden Rule as you walk among people today. Bro. Joe
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AuthorDr. Joe Beauchamp is the author of this blog and website. Categories
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September 2021
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