Do Unto Others Revisited

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."  Matthew 7:12 (NIV)

So in everything...Wow!  We are to treat others and do for others what we would want them to do for us in everything! Not just when we feel like it or when it is convenient but all of the time, in everything.  I have heard it spoken of once or twice in the past as doing to, not not doing to.  Does that make sense?  We are to do to others what we would want done to us, not avoid doing what we wouldn't want done to us.  This implies action not inaction.  Every day all day long we are to go out of our way to do things for those around us, the others, all others, not just our family and friends.  We are to treat people with dignity and honor.  We are to encourage people and show preference to all others.  We are to engage in simple acts of kindness all of the time!  What a different world we would live in if we truly lived as we are commanded to live.

"Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.'"  Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV)

"But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." 1 Timothy 1:5 (NASB)

"Love one another with brotherly affection.  Outdo one another in showing honor."  Romans 12:10  (ESV)

"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."  Galatians 6:2  (NIV)

"Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part. Our counsel is that you warn the freeloaders to get a move on. Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. And be careful that when you get on each other's nerves you don't snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out."  1 Thessalonians 5:14 (The Message)

"Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."  1 Peter 2:12 (NIV)

"Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other."  John 13:34-35 (The Message)

"My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect love!"  1 John 4:11 (The Message)

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'"  Matthew 25:40 (NIV)

So your assignment today is to engage in an unexpected act of kindness.  Leave an encouraging book on someone's porch (someone did that for me once-I never found out who left it there!), pick flowers (from your own garden!) and leave them for someone to find, give someone a special treat, take someone somewhere they would rather not go alone.  There are so many ways we can show His love.

Dear Lord,  Make us a people who love others and do things for others the way we would want them done for us. Help us to truly love one another and to show Your unfailing love through our actions...Use us to change the world one act of kindness at a time.

Do Unto Others...

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."  Matthew 7:12 (NIV)

So in everything...Wow!  We are to treat others and do for others what we would want them to do for us in everything! Not just when we feel like it or when it is convenient but all of the time, in everything.  I have heard it spoken of once or twice in the past as doing to, not not doing to.  Does that make sense?  We are to do to others what we would want done to us, not avoid doing what we wouldn't want done to us.  This implies action not inaction.  Every day all day long we are to go out of our way to do things for those around us, the others, all others, not just our family and friends.  We are to treat people with dignity and honor.  We are to encourage people and show preference to all others.  We are to engage in simple acts of kindness all of the time!  What a different world we would live in if we truly lived as we are commanded to live.

"Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.'"  Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV)

"But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." 1 Timothy 1:5 (NASB)

"Love one another with brotherly affection.  Outdo one another in showing honor."  Romans 12:10  (ESV)

"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."  Galatians 6:2  (NIV)

"Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part. Our counsel is that you warn the freeloaders to get a move on. Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. And be careful that when you get on each other's nerves you don't snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out."  1 Thessalonians 5:14 (The Message)

"Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."  1 Peter 2:12 (NIV)

"Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other."  John 13:34-35 (The Message)

"My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us—perfect love!"  1 John 4:11 (The Message)

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'"  Matthew 25:40 (NIV)

So your assignment today is to engage in an unexpected act of kindness.  Leave an encouraging book on someone's porch (someone did that for me once-I never found out who left it there!), pick flowers (from your own garden!) and leave them for someone to find, give someone a special treat, take someone somewhere they would rather not go alone.  There are so many ways we can show His love.

Dear Lord,  Make us a people who love others and do things for others the way we would want them done for us. Help us to truly love one another and to show Your unfailing love through our actions...Use us to change the world one act of kindness at a time.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Who is Your Neighbor?

This is the first and greatest commandment, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. That seems pretty self explanatory, doesn't it? Even if it is extremely difficult, we do seem to understand what is being asked of us. And the second commandment is like it, Love your neighbor as yourself. Why is this one so much more difficult to "get"? Who is our neighbor anyway and how are we supposed to love them?

Well, we are supposed to love them as we love ourselves! How much do we love ourselves? We love ourselves more than almost anything, especially if we are still living in our natural, selfish state. If we are walking a walk of faith in Jesus Christ, we might be a little less selfish, but this is a lifelong struggle for most of us. We want what we want when we want it! We want to be liked/loved, served, made to feel special, showered with gifts, needed, cherished, respected, admired, taken care of, deferred to, thought well of, and we take extra care everyday to be sure that we have that place in people's lives, the lives of our families and friends. This goes back to the post a few days ago when we ask ourselves, "What is my motivation for the things I do?" But if we want to be treated this way, (and I think most of us do!), now we are being asked to treat our neighbors the same way! But who is our Neighbor?

Our Neighbor is anyone we come into contact with. This could mean our actual neighbors, the people who live next door to us or across the street, or it could mean the person who delivers our mail, or bags our groceries. It could be the people who work at the dry cleaners or the store we frequent most often. It could also be the person standing on the street corner asking for help... It isn't just the people we love and those who love us! It isn't just our friends and families! I would venture to say that we all need major, serious work in this area. I know I do.

"For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another." Galations 5:13-15

"But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?" 1 John 3:17 (NIV)

"If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen." 1 John 4:20 (NASB)

"We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death." 1 John 3:14 (NIV)

"If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing." 1 Corinthians 13:3 (ESV)

"By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world." 1 John 4:17 (NASB)

"But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith." 1 Timothy 1:5 (NASB)

"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." Galatians 5:6 (NIV)

Go out and show your love today! Do something kind and loving for your neighbor today and then do it tomorrow and the next day... I hear if you do something for 15 days, it becomes a habit! Let's get into the habit of love.

Dear Lord, Make me to see my neighbor's need and to actually do something to help. Let all of my good intentions become reality today so that You may be glorified in my life. Teach me to love my neighbor as myself.