The Golden Rule

“We’re all in this together”. We see or hear this statement on billboards and in various advertising in these pandemically conscious days. However, this is not just the latest buzz word or catchy advertising phrase, it encapsulates a mindset, a way of living, the very ethos of community.

 

Jesus’ injunction to his disciples was to ‘do unto others as you would have them do unto you’, words that we refer to as The Golden Rule. If we want to go further with this thought we can look to the ancient Scriptures, where the underlying precept is that we are to love our neighbor as our self. ‘Be mindful of your actions and how they impact those around you’, we would say, and that without exception or excuse. We don’t get a pass because someone took ‘our’ parking spot and we’re in a hurry, or if we disagree with our neighbor’s response to a municipal by-law. The thought is the same and what motivates our actions is to be the same; that we consider the effect of what we do and say (not to mention tweet or post) before we respond. Though it may be our right to express our thoughts, it is certainly not a requirement, especially when it does not communicate empathy and understanding.

 

Why else would Jesus say what he did?