3/24/21

"And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise." (Luke 6:31)
In the 1992 Disney animated feature of "Aladdin", the villain of the movie was a guy named, Jafar. In one of his scenes, he mentioned "The Golden Rule". His version goes something like this, "He who has the gold, makes the rules!" That is very different than what Jesus teaches us.
Jesus introduced this teaching, "You should treat others the way you would want them to treat you." (Paraphrased)
You will find this doctrine in Matthew 7:12, as well.
When I was a little boy, my grandmother told me, "Thomas, you can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar." That was a homespun version of the Golden Rule.
The Bible does not call this passage "The Golden Rule". That reference is man-made. I'm not sure who coined the phrase, but certainly they knew the value of such a teaching. It is golden!
This world needs a great big, whopping dose of The Golden Rule. Rudeness and disrespect escalates with each passing day. People have lost the concept of treating one another with respect and with common decency. Or, perhaps, I should refer to good behavior as 'uncommon decency'.
Our Savior was a great observer of the Golden Rule. He treated everyone well. Even those who hated Him!
Each time you observe the Golden Rule, you bring a smile to God's face, and will receive a well-deserved pat on the back.
So, this day, do your best to treat others the way you would like to be treated. You will feel good about yourself. And, you will be like Jesus!
From my heart to your heart.