This week we’ll examine another of the best-known scriptures in the world, by Christians and non-Christians alike, Matthew 7:12
In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you…
Which is actually only part of the whole verse and which is often further simplified into:
Treat others how you want to be treated.
There are some obvious major flaws in the modification of the scripture. Let’s look at those.
First, the words, “In everything” are left out. Why are these words so important? They are important because they let us know in a hurry how far short we all fall of ever living out this perfect principle. In general, on my best days, I treat the people that I love most the way that I want to be treated in return. But how do I treat strangers? Or how do I treat people that I find obnoxious? It becomes painfully obvious upon real scrutiny that I primarily treat myself better than I treat anyone else.
For example, say you and I are working together when lunch time comes around and I only have enough money to buy a single lunch. I have heard both mine and your stomach growling, so I know we are both hungry. If I treat you the way that I want to be treated, I will feed you instead of myself. If we both need a pair of boots and I only have money for one pair, I will buy them and give them to you.
This is not a description of the world we live in, yet, I have known some parents that have gone without so that their children could eat, and you probably know someone that has done the same. But have you known of people that have gone hungry so that somebody else’s children can eat?
The next word omitted is “therefore.” It doesn’t seem like such a big deal removing this word, but the word “therefore” is always a crucial word in scripture. It’s crucial because it points backward at the things that were said just previously, in this case, verses seven through eleven. When Jesus says “therefore” in this instance, He means, “in consideration of what I just previously said,” treat people the same way you want them to treat you. What did He previously explain? That if I am God’s child, and I have a need, I must simply ask, seek and knock and He will fulfill my need. That changes the way I view the golden rule considerably, and we’ll expand upon that in the sermon.
Finally, the last part left out is the end of verse twelve, which says:
…for this is the Law and the Prophets.
This short phrase tells us so much! Jesus explains that if you take all of what is written regarding human relationships in the whole of the Old Testament it can all be reduced to treating others the same way I want them to treat me. How amazing! The ten commandments illustrate this in the negative. If I love father and mother as I love myself, they will be honored. If I love my brother, I will certainly not murder him. If I love my spouse, I will not commit adultery. If I love others, I will not steal from them, etc.
We often think in terms of the negative – in terms of what not to do, but this is often motivated by selfishness. We most often don’t do wrong because we love but because we fear punishment. What a wretched people we are!
Though we be wretched, God loves us. He loves us so much that He refuses to allow us to remain in our wretched state. He gives us His Holy Spirit to change us bit by bit and we are continually changed little by little. We won’t reach perfection in this life, but are promised to one day be made perfect. Philippians 3:20-21 says:
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.
When we are made perfect, the golden rule will be THE RULE, and no longer the exception to the current reigning rule of personal selfishness.
It’s such a joy growing our Lord Jesus with my family in Wellington! God Bless you all!
Wes LeFlore (918) 607-8489 or huskerwes1@gmail.com
