Today in Bible study, the subject was how to have good relationships. The teacher maintained all we have to do, pretty much, is keep the Golden Rule. I’m sure I got that message loud and clear when I was five or so, but who knew my Sunday school teacher was so smart? For those who didn’t have a SS teacher, it says, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
Different Bible versions say it differently, but Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:31 both state it with the same meaning. Then I found that this is not a new idea. The first such command dates to an Egyptian 2000 years before Christ and was repeated in many similar forms in writings and religions from all over the world.
Through the ages, the Golden Rule has held up as perhaps THE CRUCIAL GUIDE to maintaining good relationships of all kinds. But as we all know, a simple idea can also be difficult to live up to. So here’s my handy list of things one should do and not do.
Do:
Smile, be generous, do what you say you’ll do, put the cap back on the tooth paste. Have a cheerful spirit, ignore slights and offenses, and while you’re at it, ignore bad things generally and always turn toward the good in people, in situations, and in life. Be happy.
Do Not:
Judge others, or expect everyone to agree with you. Don’t leave the toilet seat up or throw trash on the highway. Don’t be a grump, or be disrespectful. Don’t cheat, steal, lie, or think it is someone else’s job to keep you happy (see above.)
OK, I’m sure my list falls short in some areas, but hey, it’s a start. The older and more experienced I get, the easier it has become to stop a negative thought in its tracks and turn it around, to see the best in a person, rather than judging them in what might be a not-so-great moment, and to remember this is not our home and that if we want to return to the Angels, we might want to act more like them.
Someone I really like once said, “Be good to yourselves and others. Life is that simple and that difficult.” If we just thought about how our actions—good or bad—come flying back at us, we might all see the Golden Rule for what it really is: Maybe the best advice ever.
This could solve all our problems,
Nancy
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