The Golden Rule of Right Relationship

There are some people who are just really hard to love . . . and for good reason!  During my years as a counselor at East Iowa Bible Camp, there were a handful of campers who were hard to love.  One particular camper made it his mission to see me get angry by trying to throw a bucket of water on me every opportunity he got.  He would hop out from hiding behind a building and try to soak me, but since he had pre-warned me that he was going to do this, I was alert and he was never able to accomplish this cruel mission (this made him even more upset).  Although he made every effort get me to respond with anger by his intentional mistreatment of me, I continued to try and demonstrate love toward him in my words and actions.  When others mistreat us, it is hard, if not impossible, to love them in return.  And yet, that is the required response if we want to be in right relationship!

READ:  Luke 6:27-36

DOING to others what we wish they would DO to us is how we put God’s one rule of love into PRACTICE!  What we refer to as The Golden Rule in verse 31 is Jesus’ re-statement of the Old Testament Royal Law found in Leviticus 19:18 to, “love your neighbor as yourself”.  In a parallel text in Mt. 7:12 Jesus equates the golden rule with loving your neighbor by saying, “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”  The Golden Rule is Jesus' new definition of how we are to demonstrate love.  In as much as we apply this ONE GOLDEN RULE in our interaction with others we will be fulfilling ALL of God's relational rules!  How do we put the Golden Rule into practice in relationships?

Put love into practice by returning KINDNESS for EVIL (Lk. 6:27-30) – In verses 27-30 there are six imperatives, or six things that Jesus said we MUST do for those who have mistreated us in some way (love, do good, bless, pray, offer, give, do not demand).  I do not intend to define each and every one of these imperatives, but I believe Paul summarizes Jesus’ teaching in Romans 12:21 by saying, “do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”  When we are hated, cursed at, abused, used, and mistreated we are going to want to return the favor.  It is in these circumstances that we need to put the GOLDEN RULE into practice.  No matter what type of evil or mistreatment has been done to us, we must respond by doing to them what we wish they would do to us!

Put love into practice by doing MORE than EXPECTED (Lk. 6:32-34) – In verses 32-34 Jesus is saying that demonstrating love is not doing the minimum of what is required.  By doing the minimum we are not being any different than the rest of the world.  Even sinners have the ability to reciprocate love.  When we have been unloved, no good has been done to us, and have lended and not received anything in return we are going to want to withhold our love.  It is in these circumstances that we need to put the GOLDEN RULE into practice.  No matter whether others deserve it, we must respond by doing to them what we wish they would do to us!

Put love into practice by expecting to get NOTHING in RETURN (Lk. 6:34-35) – In verses 34-35 Jesus is saying that our demonstrations of love are NOT impressive when we gain back as much as we gave away.  When we offer a favor, lend money, or do a good deed to another we will naturally want to be acknowledged or be repaid.  It is in these circumstances that we need to put the GOLDEN RULE into practice.  No matter how unfair it may seem, we must respond by doing to them what we wish they would do to us!

CONCLUSION
According to verse 35, God shows us how to put the Golden Rule into practice by being “kind to the ungrateful and the evil”.  In verse 36, Jesus summarizes the Golden rule into a two word command “BE MERCIFUL”.  Ultimately, doing to others what we wish they would do to us is a god-like act of kindness and mercy!  By treating others with kindness and mercy they get to taste God’s merciful love toward us.  What relationship in your life do you need to put God’s one rule of love into practice?