Day Three Matthew 7:12
12 “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.” – Matthew 7:12 (NLT)
Learn From the Word
Jesus now moves into the conclusion of His famous sermon. He has taught us what it looks like to live in His upside-down Kingdom and this verse, commonly known as The Golden Rule, summarizes His challenging teachings well. Although this saying existed in varying forms long before Jesus, it’s important to note that every one of those instances stated it in its negative format – “Don’t do to others what you wouldn’t want done to you.” By flipping it to the positive, Jesus greatly broadened the intent, even saying it sums up everything written in the Old Testament!
Put It Into Practice
Imagine a world where everyone treated other people exactly as they would want to be treated. It’s called the Kingdom of God, and because of the Holy Spirit who lives in every follower of Jesus, it’s here now. But also, because of our sin, not yet fully here. Jesus wants us to yearn for the day when the Kingdom of God will fully arrive, to pray for it, and to strive to live according to The Golden Rule until then. It’s only through the Holy Spirit living in us that we can do that, so ask Him now to fill you and give you His strength to live out The Golden Rule one day at a time.
For Families with Kids at Home
Chances are your kids have probably heard of the Golden Rule. Ask them to share examples of ways that they would like others to treat them. Now for the hard part: who are the people in their life who can be difficult to love sometimes? Jesus calls us to treat those people the same way we would want to be treated. That doesn’t mean it’s always easy, especially when we feel like the other person doesn’t deserve it. But we also know that Jesus loved us and sacrificed for us even when we didn’t deserve it, so we’re called to follow His example!