Matthew 7:12 – Verse of the Day 6/14/14

People often talk about the “Golden Rule,” and sometimes people will point out that many ancient philosophers offered their students a similar rule to the one that Jesus gave in this verse. This is true, but did you know that there is a difference between the way the Golden Rule appears in the Bible and the way it appeared in other ancient books?

Whereas many ancient authors phrased the Golden Rule negatively (do not do anything to others that you would not want done to you), Jesus made it a positive command (do to others what you wish that would do to you). Can you see the difference? Which is harder?

Spend some time in prayer thanking God for the relationship that he has given you by doing for us what we could never have done. He lived a perfect life and died a perfect sacrificial death in order to forgive our sins. As you remember Jesus’s love for you, pray that you would grow in your desire to love and serve others. Pray that you would do this not as a means to self-righteousness, but rather out of thankfulness for the fact that God has made you righteous through faith in Jesus.