Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them – this is the Law and the Prophets. – Matthew 7:12
The golden rule, it has been called, the summing up of everything we need to know about living in community in one little verse. So why is it so hard?
The King James version of this verse is what many of us know at heart – “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” But for whatever reason we don’t look to the last clause. We simply take that statement and run with it, or honestly, humanity has tried to tweak these words for their own pious boasting.
What Jesus is teaching, in this, however, is a way of thinking that seems contrary to the way the world thinks. The world would have us put ourselves first, take care of self, first, and worry about ourselves. The truth found in Jesus teachings is to think about ourselves only in how we treat others. “whatever you want done for you, do the same for others.” So how do we want to be treated? And Are we treating others in that same way?
It is a selfless act to love and to be kind to others when they know they can do nothing in return, when we give to those in need, when we listen to those seeking counsel, when we seek to understand a situation that is not our own. However, it is in these seemingly selfless acts that we find the greater truth of Jesus words, because truthfully, this is how we would want to be treated if we were in their situation.
Acts of kindness and love go a long way in this world, words of appreciation and praise are so hardly spoken, yet if this is how we would want to be treated, than perhaps we should offer without thought of reward or reciprocation, and we might find that they come back to us anyways. In do so, we might even find our love for God and neighbor grow.
Grace & Peace,
Sam