Today we begin a new paragraph topic: (The golden rule).
Christ sums up much of his previous sermons into one statement: "All that you wish men to do to you, even so do you also to them." In this general statement Christ puts us in the driver's seat. We have to do first what we want done to us. If we want someone to treat us with respect we have to treat others with respect. If we want others to love us we have to love others first. If we want others to be kind to us we have to be kind to others. If we want others to honor us we have to show honor to others. If we want others to not us foul language to us we have to not have a dirty mouth to them. If we want others to bless us we have to bless them first. What Christ is telling us is to do unto others and that same will come back to you.
Once I was having lunch with a pastor friend of mine and after we finished the meal he would not allow me to pay for the dinner. What astonished me even more was that he not only paid for our meal but he also paid for the meal of the ladies that sat next to us. At the time I thought that he was being fresh and a showoff. He dressed in flashy clothes and was outgoing to everyone that we met. He spoke to all with courtesy and always had a smile to make people laugh. What I know now is that this was his boomerang. What he put out came back to him. If he put out love that came back to him. If he put out joy that joy came back to him from others that met him. If he put out generosity that came back to him doubled.
Christ told us to love our enemies. If you salute your brethren only what are you doing more than others. Do not even the Gentiles do that? Christ wants us, as Christians, to do more. We are to set the example. We are to go the extra mile more so than others. We are to do first before others do. Speak to others when in public. Show courtesy when in the market place. Bring joy to others with a kind word or phrase. If we are true Christians, followers of Christ, we have something more than the ordinary. We have a provider, a care taker, a protector, a joy in our hearts that should flow from us to others. This is our gift to others. And with that gift we will draw men to God through our actions of kindness, love, generosity, and peace.
Where do we find this spirit of openness to others? It comes from within. It comes from our inner spirit. It comes through the heavenly spirit to our spirit and flows through to our physical being to radiates out to others. We must search for it. We must seek it out. We must find it. We must knock on its door and beg it to come to us. It is available to all if we want it. It is there for the asking, if you just ask and know that you can have it. Throw off the cares of the world and seek the joy of the spirit, for you are spirit being. You are joy. You are happiness. You are love, created in the image and likeness of God. Get in touch with your inner spirit and allow the light to shine through.
