By Justin Danielson, Minister, Parkview Christian Church
The Golden Rule simply says this, “Treat others the way you want to be treated.” You may have seen this printed on a sign or been taught the phrase by your parents or teachers. But do you know where this statement comes from?
Jesus preached a lengthy sermon that covers three chapters in the book of Matthew (Matthew 5-7) called The Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 7:12 says, “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” So, Jesus is the author of the idea of treating others the way you want to be treated. He is the founder of The Golden Rule. Jesus just didn’t say it, He lived it. And He asks the same of us today.
Other religions offer something similar but with a passive approach. Jesus offers and says it requires action. Jesus knows the human heart doesn’t always want to do the right thing. He knows we can be selfish. Leviticus 19:18 says, “18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” Jesus gives the Great Commandment in Matthew 22:34-39, “34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
This message is the heart of Jesus – LOVE. Love God first and foremost and love others the way that we want to be loved. We find in the Gospels that Jesus had compassion and fed the 5,000, He wept and raised Lazarus from the dead, He healed the crippled, gave sight to the blind.
We are called as Christians to love our neighbor. A question asked by many is, “Who is my neighbor?” It is a great question to ponder. Neighbors are not just the ones that live across the street or down the road. But specifically, they are people in our sphere of influence. Who do you live with? Who do you work with? Who do you go to classes with? Who do you come in contact with daily? God puts us in places and around people for a reason. The reason is to share His love in tangible ways and to share the saving message of the Good News of Jesus.
People take notice of the love we Christians have and share. Think about the times of disaster or devastation. Many have received abundance of care and love from Christians all over the world. Jesus says in John 13:34-35, “34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Let’s be known for our love for one another. Jesus is the ultimate gift of love to mankind. God gave us His only Son to die on the cross so that we could have eternal life in and only through the shed blood of Jesus. It’s sort of crazy to think of death as love, but it is. Jesus came to be God’s loving, once and for all sacrifice. Through Jesus, we find God’s unconditional love.
Jesus made it simple. Let’s not make it hard. Love God and love others.
Strive with me daily to Live out the Golden Rule.
– Justin Danielson – Minister at Parkview Christian Church
