Matthew 7:12
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
If you attended public school in the 1990s or prior, chances are you saw posters and signs in the hallways that said, "Remember the Golden Rule." Signs such as these seem to have faded out of school decor. Some of us are familiar with the "Golden Rule," but in these days one cannot be too careful with Biblical knowledge. Many things in our world today want to lap up Biblical truth or dilute it down until it's akin to poison rather than living water. For a useful refresher, or perhaps for a first time overview, let's examine the "Golden Rule," its Biblical context and its real-world applications.
The "Golden Rule" is the simple statement, "Treat others the way you want to be treated." Although the "Golden Rule" is not the first piece of wisdom given about the treatment of others, as the Chinese philosopher Confucius said, "What you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others," the "Golden Rule" is wisdom that is pro-active rather than passive. It is not simply about not doing bad things, but about actively doing good things for others. The "Golden Rule" is wisdom given to change one's perspective about how they treat others, and to make them think about what good things they can do that they would like done for themselves.
The "Golden Rule" comes from Jesus' famous Sermon on the Mount. Early on near the start of Jesus' mission He spoke to a large crowd gathered on a mountainside. He sat down on the mountain and taught everyone who was there beautiful things about the Kingdom of God. In this sermon just after He talks about people's need for right judgement, Jesus says, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened" (Matthew 7:7-8). Jesus did not say this to imply that we, as God's children, can ask for anything from God and it will be given to us. What He is saying is that our heavenly Father longs to give His children good gifts, and He knows what is best for us. We can ask God for good things, and know that God will give them to us, because God is good. Jesus then says on the matter of people receiving and giving good gits that God's children should, "do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 7:12).
When we, as God's children, do to others what we would have them to do to us, we do what God does for us. We give others good gifts from heaven, by doing good things for others. There are many good gifts we can give. We can give charitably. We can show mercy. We can forgive others. We can give others the wisdom from God. We can judge rightly. We can be gentle with others. We can be slow to anger against others. We can be compassionate. We can encourage. We can do all these things actively for others with the love of God, because God is with us.
We should not do these things expecting that others will do them for us, though. Only we, God's children, can do good things for others. Everyone who is not a child of God in this world is apart from God, and can do no good. Jesus said, immediately after stating the "Golden Rule," "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it" (Matthew 7:13-14). Those on the path to destruction can only cause destruction, but we, as God's children, have entered through the narrow gate to Christ, and so we can show the love that others cannot.
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| Take a moment to compare the sayings of those on the wide road leading to destruction to God's good wisdom that leads through the narrow gate.. |
Sources
- The Bible (New International Version)
- WWUTT: What is the Golden Rule?
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