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The Golden Rule

Friday August 27, 2021
 

 In the middle of Jesus teaching about how to treat our enemies he inserts one of the most famous principles of human interaction called The Golden Rule.

 Do for others what you want them to do for you.  (Luke 6:31 ERV)

 

This principle was written centuries before and was contained in the Jewish scriptures which Jesus and others heard from week to week in their worship services.  Jesus is requoting it because it is important for us to know and practice. 

 As we share and support friends and loved ones, we often do for them what we would like them to do for us.  Jesus says in that context there is no real challenge because it is easy to love and care for those who love and care for us. 

 

“If you love only those who love you, should you get any special praise for doing that? No, even sinners love those who love them!  If you do good only to those who do good to you, should you get any special praise for doing that? No, even sinners do that!  (Luke 6:32-33 ERV)

 What makes this saying of Jesus challenging is that we are to behave this way with people who don’t love us or treat us well.


 Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Ask God to bless the people who ask for bad things to happen to you. Pray for the people who are mean to you.  (Luke 6:27b-28 ERV)

We’ve all been hurt and disappointed in our past.  We’ve also hurt and disappointed others.  Jesus wants all of us to move forward, find healing, and live well.  He knows that holding grudges and failing to make amends is a recipe for bitterness and disaster of the heart. What is God’s way for us to be successful in recovery?  When someone irritates us or we reflect on a person we are avoiding, God’s says: “Love…do good…ask God to bless…and pray.” 

 To whom on my “challenging person list” can I apply the Golden Rule today?

 

Prayer:  God help me.  It’s so hard to bless and do good to people who have harmed me.  Please work in my heart and give me the courage and strength to bless others and live the Golden Rule from a heart of thanksgiving for all You have done for me.  Amen

 

©2021 Partners in Hope 

More information on this and other related topics @ http://www.partnersinhope.ca/life-with-god-in-recovery-resources/

Audio for The Golden Rule

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