Matthew 7:12
“In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”
This is the Golden Rule. Simply stated, but very profound. Most get this logic and base their lives on it. If followed, this would transform our world. No one wants to be stolen from, so this would stop. No one wants to be embarrassed, so that kind of cruelty would stop. Those are negatives.
This rule also works in the positive. We all want to be appreciated, so people would feel valued. People want to be loved, that would be true.
What keeps us from doing this? Selfishness. I’m afraid that if I give, there won’t be enough for me. If I let others cut in front of me, then I’ll be late. That may be true. We have to practice it in reason. If I do have a deadline, then I can’t let all go ahead of me. We have to balance the rule with reality.
Jesus practiced this balance. At times He would give and times He and His disciples would pull back and avoid the crowd. That’s ok. We are finite people who are bound by time.
This rule needs to be balanced by our faith in God. We may have pause on our giving, because we won’t have enough. Jesus said in Luke 6:38, “Give and it will be given to you…” We still give within reason, but trusting a God with endless resources gives us peace that God will provide for us.
Trusting God allows us to breath a sigh of relief. He sees us and will not allow us to run dry. Matthew 11:28-30 says, ‘“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.”’ We will find rest for our souls. That is so helpful.
It took me years to grasp this principle that God is there for me and will give me rest. I used to look to the WWJD and live that way. If I was Jesus I was always giving more, doing more and so on. I missed the parts when Jesus pulled back. It was always go, go go. I recall the first time I heard the message of grace, I did breath a sigh of relief. In time my legalism would return, the I would listen to the lesson again.
Another passage that was freeing was 2 Corinthians 9:7, “Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver.” God wants us to choose what we are to give. That informed my growth in grace. I didn’t have to give it all. He works with us.
God loves the Golden Rule. He wants us to live by it. He also wants us to trust Him for sufficiency. Thank You that we can give and trust. You have provided for us. We can rest in You. Thank You.