Having a Kingdom Attitude 20

In our next passage, Matthew 7:7-12, we read one of the most important commands given to us by Jesus; and this command guarantees that we have a less stress life. Verse 12 is know as "The Golden Rule" - "Do for others as you would have them do for you." This verse may be familiar to us today, but in Jesus' day this kind of thinking was unheard of. The motto back then was like today's, "He who has all the gold makes all the rules." The "religions" and "philosophies" in Jesus' time taught the negative form of the Golden Rule. The Jewish rabbi Hillel said, "What is hateful to yourself do not to someone else." Confucius taught, "What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others." Do you see that the negative form focuses on self preservation? Yet Jesus turns man's selfish thoughts upside down by stating that a true child of God will be proactive, doing good for others in the same way they would want to be served.

In this passage Jesus gives us three reasons we are able to live out the Golden Rule in a fool's-gold world. First God has given His children His personal promise that if we are persistent (keep on) and progressive (ask...seek...knock) with our prayers then God will give us what we need (7:7-8). But if we are unwilling to show love to our fellow man, why should God answer our prayers? Second, we can live out the Golden Rule because God lived out the Golden Rule for us(7:9-11). God did not wait for man to do good to God, but rather He being the very definition of love, initiated goodness by providing the very best for us, Himself. This is exactly what He requires of us. Lastly, God's purpose for His children demand living the Golden Rule (7:12). When God's children live out the Golden Rule, they are imitating very the best quality of their heavenly Father. They are also living obediently to Scripture. The Golden Rule is not only a New Testament message, it is the very foundation for the 39 books in the Old Testament. Jesus' message to us is this: Kingdom living is only possible if you are a child of God. It is a supernatural calling that can only be accomplished by the Holy Spirit. Yet, when we practice the Golden Rule, it releases the love of God in our lives and in our world, to enable us to help others, even those who have hurt or hate us. When we walk in God's power, we can do for other's as we would like done for us; and in return live a less stressed life. Until next time, keep walking close with Christ.