The Golden Rule

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." Ahh, the Golden Rule, burned into our memories from childhood. But do we really understand its significance. According to the study notes in the New International Version: Study Bible, "In many religions, the Golden Rule, is stated negatively: 'Don't do to others what you don't want done to you.' By stating it positively, Jesus made it more significant. It is not very hard to refrain from harming others; it is much more difficult to take the initiative in doing something good for them." This is true! It is easy not to steal from someone, or beat someone up, or insult a person; but it is very difficult to take a homeless person and buy them some food, take them to a shelter, or even volunteer to work at the shelter yourself. It is easy not to sell drugs to people; but to actually take an addict off the streets and love them takes an act of commitment to the very words of Jesus Himself. The Golden Rule is the kind of love that God shows us every day, we need to be merciful to others and do good to others today!