The Golden Rule
The Golden Rule is a universal moral principle. Jesus states it this way: “So whatever you wish that others do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (Mat. 7.12) This principle is not practiced by all, nor are all who practice it believers. Because we are created in the image of God Himself, this rule is seen and recognized universally as true. Confucius in the 6th century BC said: “What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.” Plato (4 BC) said: “May I do to others as I would that they should do to me.” Also in Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism this same moral principle is expressed. It’s presence for thousands of years, in varied cultures and religions, speaks of the omnipresence of God.
This law that has been written on our hearts is the point in which all are accountable to God. Paul writes to the Romans about those who have not placed their faith in Jesus as their savior: “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” (1.19-20) Everyone is accountable for what he knows, not what he doesn’t know, and this Golden Rule is innately known by all.
Jesus went on to say that all the Law and the Prophets were summed up in this one law. Those that heard him were astonished at his teaching. He taught with authority and clarity. Jesus made the Word of God so easy to understand. The Golden Rule is part of the Sermon on the Mount that is contained in chapters 5 to 7 of the Gospel of Matthew. It is a sermon on Kingdom ethics, and loving God and loving others is its central theme. In chapter five, Jesus teaches that we are to love our enemies. Instead of being neutral, we are to be proactive. Instead of drawing away from our enemies as we would have them draw away from us, we are to bless them, speak well of them and love them. We are to go the extra mile and do what is not expected of us. It is easy to love those who love us, but it is godly to love those who are unloving.
There was a time we lived in a house in a rural area of Portugal. The only neighbor we had was angry with us for purchasing the property that was adjacent to his. He had conflicts with the previous owner, and was waiting for the price to come down. When we moved in, he was determined to make our life there difficult. We tried our best to be good neighbors, but nothing seemed to be working. In prayer, God gave me an idea. My neighbor had horses and I had a pasture that I was not using. I felt God leading me to let him use my pasture for five years without cost. When I approached my neighbor with this plan, everything changed. Instead of being my enemy, he became my friend.
Loving our neighbors and our enemies is the rule of Christ. God is love and His Kingdom is the rule and reign of His love. By loving your neighbor as you love yourself, by doing to others as you would have them do to you, you are following in the footsteps of Christ. When you love in this way, you will not envy him, you will not hate him and you will not sin against him. You can love, because God is love and He lives in you.
Scriptures to meditate on:
Mat. 7.12; 5.43-48; Luke 10.25-37; Rom. 1.19-20;