Do Unto Others

"And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them." (Luke 6:31)

Is there anyone who doesn't have at least a vague idea of the so-called Golden Rule? Actually ... yes.

Maybe you've heard one of these examples:

• "Do unto others as they have done unto you."
• "Do unto others before they do unto you."

That first one is the one I always seemed to hear from friends when I was a child. What an eye-opener when I read the verse for myself. What I'd heard people saying wasn't at all what Jesus said.

How did we get it so wrong?

Can I offer a possible explanation?

On the first one, I for one would really like to be able to justify every time I've ever wronged anyone. The easiest way to do that, as a human being, is to point to what someone else did to me first. Vengeance. I can't even say or type that word without scrunching my face into a snarl.

Vennnngeannnce. See? It's nearly impossible.

I don't struggle with the second version as much. I seldom just assume someone else is going to wrong me or hurt me. But there are those people so broken and bitter they do always assume others will use them or abuse them. So they strike first.

What do you suppose would happen if we truly all lived by these words of Christ? I mean really, truly treated everyone else the way we want to be treated. Imagine that. It's actually kind of hard, to be honest. We're so used to looking out for ourselves and our own interests.

My prayer is that I will, in fact, learn to live according to this rule. To treat everyone with the love and respect I believe I deserve.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

• In what situations lately have I not treated another as I would like to be treated?
• In what ways can I better the way I treat others in order to show the love of Christ?