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.
“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.
We have all been hurt and disappointed in the past. We have 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 have successful recovery today? When someone irritates us or we reflect on a person we are avoiding, God says: “Love…do good…ask God to bless…and pray.”
So, who is the person on my ‘challenging person list’ to whom I can 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
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