The Golden Rule – What If?
The Golden Rule
What if . . .
we could consistently treat others the way we want
them to treat us if we traded places.
The person who is our:
Friend
Spouse
Child
Parent
Grandparent
Neighbor
Teacher
Student
Employer
Employee
Server
Garbage Collector
Mail Carrier
Salesperson
Telemarketer
Stranger
Or the person who is:
Physically Ill
Mentally Ill
Poor
Rich
Helpless
Hopeless
Homeless
Broken
Depressed
Lost
Disfigured
Beautiful
Overweight
Underweight
Young
Old
What if?
We listened more,
cared more,
had more compassion,
shared more,
gave more,
forgave more,
prayed more,
smiled more,
and loved more.
What if we really lived the Golden Rule?
We may never live it perfectly, but is it possible we excuse ourselves to quickly?
Maybe this is the day to make a conscious effort to do better.
“We have committed the golden rule to memory;
let us now commit it to life.“
Edwin Markham
And a true challenge will be to use the Golden Rule when interacting with those who are not kind to us!
What I’ve found is that when we are kind, people tend to return the “favor”. What a blessing!
So true Joan, loving those who are acting in a less than loving manner, or kind to those who are unkind is hugely challenging. I do believe though that it always blesses us . . . even if it doesn’t feel like it at the moment. So thankful for your kind friendship! {{hugs}}
Hey Deb … LOVE that Anne Graham Lotz quote that ushers in your website. So powerful! And I love this post … everybody is worthy of our compassion, grace, time, and attention. Thanks for putting this on the table!
It’s so good to meet you today! Sabbath blessings to you, to yours …
Thanks Linda. I always try to ask myself what the other person may be living at that moment. It helps change my focus when I don’t feel like being kind. It’s easier to judge and believe relationships would be easier if everyone thought and acted like me. Praise God, those are the moments the Holy Spirit steps in and reminds me that we are uniquely made for God’s plans and purposes. And He commanded us to treat others as we would have them treat us. Now to do better by His grace. Thanks for visiting. Many blessings to you!
This is a beautiful post. Very clear on what we should do. You have a really nice blog and it was nice to drop by.
Thanks for visiting Judith. I love meeting new people and finding new blogs through the UBP. So much fun every year!
Hi Deb! So good to meet you through #UBP14. I’ve enjoyed looking around your blog–it’s beautiful! Blessings–Janet Reeves
Thank you Janet! Hope you enjoy the party and make lots of new friends. I’m looking forward to getting to know you better.