We’ve all read or heard this before, what many would call the “Golden Rule”, that we should do unto others as we want others to do unto us. It’s even in the Bible, right?
Luke 6:31 And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. (NKJV)
What kind of situations and applications do you see in this? If you ask around, I’m certain you would get somewhat the same kind of answers from most people. “If I don’t want people to be rude to me, I must not be rude to others.” “If I want people to be kind to me, I must be kind to others.” “I must not cheat others, for I do not like the idea of being cheated myself.” Almost every religion on earth espouses some notion like this, that we should not treat others in a manner that we don’t want to be treated.
Let’s take a closer look at the context of this verse and explore a far, far deeper meaning of this that our Lord Himself taught. The whole thought can be somewhat slippery in our fallen minds and needs some reading, digesting and waiting on the Lord to reveal – I’m still wrapping my mind around it as I write, but it’s blowing me away, so read on:
Luke 6:27 “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. 29 To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. 31 And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. (NKJV)
This is clearly not about not doing something to others that you wouldn't want others to do to you. It is about treating people in a manner that they don’t expect to be treated, but perhaps wished in their hearts that someone would. It is not a non-negative behaviour, but a proactive positive one.
We’ll look at Jesus’ examples and put ourselves in the receiving end of those scenarios. “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you”. There’s that colleague in the office or that neighbour you can’t stand for one reason or another. In your heart, you probably expect that he doesn't like you much either, but wouldn't it be a pleasant surprise if the one you call your enemy actually shows you love, perhaps turns up at your door with a gift for you? What a thought! Imaging all your enemies being actually good to you! Put another way, (read this slowly) what you expect as normal behaviour from your enemy (that he is mean/unkind to you as you to him) isn’t actually the behaviour that you really want from him. In our fallen minds, we can’t expect or really fathom this, but deep down in our hearts, we’d really like our enemies (like anyone else) to be good to us.
Then we’d soon have no enemies.
If we curse someone, swear at the guy who does us wrong, maybe we expect that he would swear back. That’s why we were taught not to swear at others, right? So they won’t swear at us in like manner. Wouldn't it be a mind bender, something you really would like but don’t feel you have the moral high ground to ask for, if instead of returning a curse, he blessed you, said something really good to you, maybe bought you a meal even? Again, it is not a case of me treating another like I would like to be treated in the “I’m good to you, so you are good to me” fashion. It’s someone treating you not like you feel you deserve, but deep in your heart would really want but don't have the audacity to ask for because by all your reckoning, you don’t deserve it.
What if I borrowed money? The Golden Rule says that I should return it because I’d like people to do likewise to me. But in this context Jesus preached, the one lending was already expecting nothing in return. The wrong of not returning could be done, and to the lender, his reaction once again is proactive in not asking for it back. If you borrowed and could not repay, wouldn’t you like to be forgiven of the debt? I’m not asking anyone to cheat or to be a doormat, but wouldn’t a debtor really like to be forgiven? Well, this is really the “just as you want men to do to you” that Jesus spoke of. It’s more than the Golden Rule.
This is grace, when something we don’t expect or feel we deserve is extended to us.
This is mercy, when debts we have are cancelled forever.
Our Lord went on to say:
Luke 6:32 “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
Here is the Golden Rule as many understand it. Loving because we want to be loved. But Jesus refuted this and said:
33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.
But for those who are SONS, we can be different.
35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36 Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. (NKJV)
We can be merciful and can extend undeserved grace, because of His mercy. Everything that Jesus has asked of us as believers to show to the world, He first was to us. He loved us while we were still sinners, His enemies. He blessed us while we cursed Him in our unbelief. He gave of Himself, not asking in return. He turned the other cheek again and again. He forgave us debts we can never pay.
We can only love because He first loved us.
1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us. (NIV)
We can only manifest His love to the degree we understand it:
Ephesians 3:19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (NKJV)
And the world can get to know Him through us as His disciples to the degree that we love each other the way He loved us.
John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (NKJV)
We need to know His love more. The Father, too wants our love
Luke 6:31 And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. (NKJV)
So He did likewise and loved us first.
My prayer today is that this short article has given you a deeper sense of His love for you.
Isn't He wonderful?
