So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
(Matthew 7:12 ESV)
This article was written as a follow up reflection to the message, The Golden Rule, preached by Brad Wetherell at The Orchard—Arlington Heights. Many of the thoughts expressed here were first preached by Pastor Brad, so we take no credit for them as original reflections! Thus, we encourage you to listen to the full message.
What Is the Golden Rule?
Jesus gives us a clear, straightforward principle here in Matthew 7:12 that is often referred to as the golden rule. I find that it’s easy to rush past simple truth without taking it to heart. So here I want to do a little reflection that, Lord willing, will sink this truth into our hearts and encourage us to obey Jesus’ words here!
In essence, this verse is a call to love (Matthew 22:35-40); it bids us love other people the way we want to be loved. On the other hand, it warns us away from treating others in a way we would not want to be treated.
Internalizing the Golden Rule
I want to hear Jesus’ words, but more importantly, I want to put them into practice, not just to agree with Jesus’ ideals but live them out by his power. Is this what you want too?
I believe that obeying this command from Jesus, begins with internalizing the principle he lays out here. Accordingly, I’ve thought up a few questions to help us process what Jesus is saying to us here.
Ask yourself these questions. Pull up a note on your phone, or grab a pen and paper, and give a minute to each question. But as you do, pray that God’s Spirit would soften and prepare your heart to then respond to Jesus’ Word with faith and obedience. Thinking will take us nowhere if we do not then get up from our thinking and respond with living.
Four Reflective Questions to Help You Obey the Golden Rule
Alright, try to answer these questions as honestly as you can.
1. What do you wish someone would do for you in this season of your life?
(Write down three things)
Maybe you wish someone would do your laundry for you! Or you wish they would give you a hug and say “I’m sorry” when you express your pain. Or you wish they would respond to your recent failures with grace and forgiveness. Jesus says, “whatever you wish others would do to you, do also to them!”
2. What is one thing people do that really aggravates you or hurts you?
(Write down three things)
Maybe you hate when people leave dishes in the sink. Or you feel dismissed when people interrupt you in conversation. Or maybe you’ve been deeply hurt by someone who withheld the truth from you. These are the kinds of things you wouldn’t want done to you, and so these are the kinds of things that in obedience to Jesus we want to strive to not do to others.
3. Name a situation that deeply hurt you.
(Write down the experience)
Maybe you were excluded. Maybe you were lied to. God forbid, maybe you were abused or severely mistreated. I’m sure just thinking about this hurt arouses pain in your heart. The book of James in the Bible tells us that sin leads to death (James 1:15). Consequently, all sin wounds—from minor inward cuts to breaking the heart. Some sin can deal a blow that lasts a lifetime. You know firsthand that when others have disobeyed Jesus’ command, it has caused pain in your life.
Remembering our own pain can create empathy in our hearts that may guard us from inflicting that same wound we have received on others. My guess is you would not want to cause the pain you have experienced in someone else’s life. Remembering the kinds of things that wound may keep us from dealing out the wounds we would hate to receive. But let’s not end there.
4. Name a situation where you felt incredibly loved.
(Write down the experience)
Maybe someone wrote you a kind letter or sent you a text that showed their care. Perhaps they were present in your suffering. Maybe they exhibited lavish generosity. Then you know firsthand the blessing that comes from a person obeying Jesus’ command.
Remembering how we have been loved, served, and treated as we would want to be treated can inspire us. It reminds us how much good can come from treating others the way we would want to be treated. Yet this command is not just a prohibition to be unkind, it’s a call to kindness! It’s not just warning us not to hurt others; it’s encouraging us to think about how we might bless others!
Living Out the Golden Rule
Friend, what do you wish others haven’t done to you? Avoid doing those things to others. Pray that God would keep you from dealing wounds you would not want to receive. At the same time, what good do you wish someone would do for you? Find a person today to serve in that very way! Pray that God would compel you to love as you would want to be loved. And may the world give glory to God in heaven when they see your love reflecting his very own care (Matthew 5:16).