When I was a little boy, I was taught the Golden Rule by my parents as: “do unto others as you wish they would do unto you”. I learned this at a very young age, and it became a guiding principle for my life and how to treat others. It really resonated with me. I had no idea it was in the Bible until much later in life. I often find myself considering this rule in my daily life and trying to understand what it means exactly. I can find the Golden Rule in the Gospels of Matthew, Luke and Mark:
Matthew 7:12 (ESV)12 “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Luke 6:31 (ESV)
31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
Mark 12:31 (ESV)
31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Do you apply the Golden Rule in your daily life and relationships? I really like the way Luke 6:31 distills the rule to its essence, treat others as you want to be treated. I think the rule is more profoundly described in Mark 12:31, there is no other commandment greater than this!
I also find it intriguing the way that James 1:19-20 describes the rule. I think we can all easily understand and apply the rule as described in James 1:19-20.
James 1:19-20 (ESV):
19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.
Always be humble and kind, you never know what others are going through. I recently heard the Tim McGraw song titled “Humble and Kind”, it also resonates with me. It seems the more I study the Bible the more I can find it everywhere.
