The Golden Rule: Do Unto Others As You Want Done To You: Bible Study Through Jesus' Eyes

Everyone has heard the Golden Rule: "Do unto others, as you want done unto yourself?" It's an old theme, but one of the greatest lessons we can ever learn to master. Despite this universal truth, too often we recite the words right, but we use it in the wrong contexts. Most of us treat the verse as if it said, "Don't do unto others, as you don't want done to yourself." For instance, you may scold your child for teasing her brother, "Would you want him to pick on you like that?" "No." "Well, you should do unto others, as you want done unto yourself." Don't get me wrong, that is a great teaching, but it's passive. In order to treat others the way we want to be treated, we must be active. If we see a man who is hungry, in their shoes, would we want to be given a sandwich? Or someone you know seems really withdrawn, would we want someone to reach out to us if we felt that way? Truth is, if we want to live as Jesus did, then we need to make sure that we put that verse into action!

An Active Verse

In order to put this verse into action, we need to step out of our comfort zone, and help others. It's kind of like when a teller makes a mistake. Just because we don't scream at the teller who gives us 20 dollars instead of 200 dollars doesn't make us a good person. How would we want to be treated when we make a mistake. Would we want to be treated with patience, understanding, love. Face it, we all have made a mistake in our jobs, and some of us have made huge mistakes. How would you like to be treated? I think in a way it goes back to the saying from the nineties "What would Jesus Do?"

From a Christian perspective, Jesus died for our sins, because He knew if He were a sinner like us, He too, would want to be forgiven. He healed people, because He knew if He couldn't see, He'd want sight. He also gave harsh reprimands, because again He knew if He was not walking an upright way, He'd want to be called on it. None of these things did He do passively, but actively.

Act Out What You Want

By becoming active, we need to look inside ourselves. What are some blessings that you wish you were given that you are capable of giving to others? Has God been providing these blessings? Do you try to bless others in this way? When you see someone struggling either emotionally or physically, do you help? If you were that person would you want help? These are things we need to ask ourselves. Should we expect others to assist us financially, if we have never helped others? Should we expect a friend to be there for us, if we are not there for them?

We are a society of me-me-me! We often think of the injustices of our own lives, yet ignore those around us who are often in greater need than ourselves. For instance, if you are reading this, you have the Internet, or the ability to access it. How many people don't, because they can't afford a computer, transportation to the library, etc. We worry about how we are going to pay our bills, but what are our bills: necessities or wants. There are so many people who go without the most basic necessities that we are capable of giving. We need to become proactive in our lives.

Pay It Forward

It seems funny to me, that one of the greatest examples of this is a secular theme, yet Christians often will pride themselves on their giving ways. Too often, those who don't know Christ and His ways are able to exemplify this concept much better than many Christians. The bottom line is pride.

The philosophy was very well put in the movie, Pay It Forward. We should be paying it forward, because the moment we begin to pay it forward, we will begin to be rewarding ourselves. If not in this lifetime, we are building up treasures in heaven. Recently an article in a magazine talked about this lady who spends every morning packing hundreds of home-made lunches. She takes these lunches around her town where the homeless live, and hand delivers them a sack lunch. For many of these people, this is the only meal they get all day. Not only does she give them a meal, she often hugs them and listens to them. Wow, what an amazing Christian example, yet I don't know if she is a believer or not. Still this is what Christians should aspire to be, servants of God's people. God's people are not just other Christians, but every single human He created!

There are hundreds of ways we can do stuff just like that, but are so involved in ourselves, that we forget to store our treasures in heaven, and bless others.

Ways We Can Change The World

• Pay for the persons meal in line behind us at a fast food place
• Donate your old clothes to a homeless shelter
• Buy shampoo, soap, etc for homeless shelters and women's shelters
• Give canned goods for a can drive
• Give money to a charity you believe in (cheap ways to give to charity)
  
• Volunteer your time at a place you respect
• Send a friend whose needing food or supplies a package from alice.com (grocery store online)
• Get involved in a church ministry
• Get Involved in the Numerous Holiday Missions during Christmas time!
  

Don't Be Hypocritical

This becomes especially true in forgiveness, for God even says, "Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.That's what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart" (Matthew 18:34-35). So many times non-Christians, are turned off by the Christian faith, because of our hypocrisy. We preach forgiveness, love, non judgment, kindness, yet we don't live these out.

They see us gossip about how this person does this or that, and yet we do the same or similar thing. It's important that we act the part of who we want to portray. And to think about not just what we shouldn't do, but what we should do? Is there something you feel called to do? Someone who needs help, that if you were in the same situation, you too would want someone to help you?

So I pray, "Dear Lord, open our eyes to the needs that we are capable of fulfilling in others. Help us be judges of ourselves and not of others. Guide us,teach us, and thank you so much for loving and forgiving us. In Jesus Name... Amen."