What Ever Happened To The Golden Rule?
The Golden Rule was teaching I was raised on. It was foundational in how my parents raised me. Now, I’m definitely not saying that I always lived it perfectly, but my parents taught me that how we treat other people matters.
Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.
Luke 6:31
Jesus’ instruction in Luke 6:31 is known as the Golden Rule.
Once upon a time, that was a common language in our world and culture. My mama and daddy said it, and so did most other parents. It was a rule that families held as a high value to live by and in communicating with others. Now, not so much…
I don’t hear the golden rule very much anymore. Treat others the way you want them to treat you seems more like an age-old teaching buried beneath the dirt and rubble of the past. But the golden rule practiced affects the world just as powerfully today as when Jesus spoke those words 2000 years ago.
But somewhere along the line, we dropped the ball and quit living by the Golden Rule. Parents quit teaching their children to follow and live by the golden rule of treating others as they themselves want to be treated. Which produced a society that dishonors, hurts, and harms others with words and actions.
Let’s Look Deeper At Luke 6:31.
When a Scripture verse catches my attention, I feel compelled to dig deeper. Looking at the original language is one way I dig deeper. The original language of the New Testament is Greek. So I looked up the original Greek meaning of the English word treat which in Greek is Poieo. Poieo is used over 500 times in the New Testament and has a variety of meanings based on how it is used. However, when the term is used as a verb, as in Luke 6:31, poieo or treats means to make or to do, and it expresses the bringing forth of fruit.
That means how we treat others produces something. I think it produces something in us and in the recipient of our actions. When our actions are wrong or hurtful to others, they poison us and others and produce pain, shame, ugliness, anxiety, discouragement, and so much more bad fruit. When our actions are good and kind to others, they fill us and others with beauty, goodness, righteousness, love, joy, peace, courage, strength, hope, and so much more good fruit.
The Fruit Of The Golden Rule
A few days ago, my husband and I ordered food from a local restaurant. The young woman who took our order exuded someone who understood the golden rule. She spoke with kindness and went above and beyond in serving us. This young woman was a rare treasure and I told her so. I thanked her for her kindness and helpfulness and told her how her uncommon it was to come across someone like her in similar situations. She really made my day simply because she was kind and helpful.
Thinking back to my 10th grade English class, I remember my teacher’s sign she kept posted on her door. The sign said, “Attitudes are contagious. Is yours worth catching?” I caught that young woman’s attitude that day. She literally affected me and my day with goodness.
Treating others like we want to be treated changes the environment around them. And that is why I believe the golden rule is the answer to the awful things that go on in this world. If we treat others as we want to be treated, our world would look drastically different.
The Context of Luke 6:31
Let’s look at the context of Luke 6:31 to discover what else Jesus taught when He spoke those words. So, let’s back up to Luke 6:27-28.
But I say to you who hear:
Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.
Luke 6:27-28
These may very well be the most counter-culture words in existence today. Honestly, loving my enemies and doing good to those who hate me, is not my natural way. At best, I have probably separated myself from my enemies. Maybe I have kept my mouth shut and not said anything ugly, but an honest evaluation of my motives tells me that my silence protects me rather does good to them.
Go with me to the next two verses.
To him who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one also.
And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.
Luke 6:29
I’m like, really Jesus! That is simply over the top! Who can do this! If someone does something to me or takes something from me, You want me to go even further and give to them?!?!?!
Well, guess what! He’s not done!
Give to everyone who asks of you.
And from him who takes away your goods,
do not ask them back.
Luke 6:30
When someone hurts me, blessing and praying for them is definitely not top of my list of reactions. And right there is where I think we all go wrong. Our problem is based on our reactions. If we knew the Golden rule and esteemed the Golden Rule, we would not react, because we would have already decided on our actions.
We belong to Jesus. Jesus said those who love Him and obey Him are those who truly belong to Him.
I recognize in my own self that I don’t always exemplify the golden rule, but Jesus called His followers to live like this so I must seek His help. These hard instructions and reflections of Christ’s character and nature, remind us that we fail on our own. We need Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit daily and continually to work in us to rid us of ourselves.
A Practical Challenge For Living Out The Golden Rule
We must keep the truth of God’s word before us, especially these most counter-culture teachings, that we live out of His character rather than our own.
Here is a practical action that I am going to take to help me do a better job of living the golden rule. I am writing out Luke 6:31 on several index cards and posting them in several visible places in my home, office, and car. Every time I see those words, I am going to read the verse aloud and pray, “Lord help me to treat others as I want to be treated that I may reflect Your character and nature, in Jesus’ name. Amen!” I challenge you to do the same.
