Do Onto Others

Before I became United Methodist in my late twenties and began to study the Bible, I thought that the Golden Rule was simply part of our culture and not in the Bible. There are words and phrases that are part of our language and culture like “he’s all bent out of shape” or “she hit that one out of the ballpark” or “that’s going to be a piece of cake.”  “Do to others as you would have them do to you” seemed to me to be in that category – taken seriously sometimes and other times just something that was casually said.

Then I began to study Jesus and the Bible and grew up. I learned that “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you” IS in the Bible, in two places, and that Jesus says it. I began to try to prayerfully integrate into my life the teachings and principles of Jesus’ life. This has become a life-long commitment and journey – to know Jesus and his life, to trust his teachings and his power to form and save me, and to seek to live as his follower, his disciple.

Dozens of times in Gospel stories, Jesus tells and shows us how to treat others. He gathers disciples around him and loves on them, teaches and guides them. Slowly they discover that they are worth being treated well. They are beloved ones of Jesus. Jesus’ teachings and the knowledge they are loved leads his disciples in knowing how to treat others.

How are we to treat others? I’m talking about our families and friends and also a much wider circle of those whom God loves. As we continue with Famous Passages and Where to Find Them on Sunday, Feb. 17 I’m going to share five points of learning about the Golden Rule. Look at your hand, count your five fingers and know that each one represents a point to be made about this important Bible passage.

We pray:  Give us confidence in your love for us, O God, and in your call to us to love one another as you have loved us. Help us treat one another with the respect you offer to us, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Blessings, Sharon