Daily
Devotional

History tells us that Roman Emperor Alexander Severus, who ruled from 222 to 235 A.D., was especially friendly to both Jews and Christians. From them he learned the concept contained in our focus verse, commonly known as the “Golden Rule.” He adopted the motto, “Do unto others as thou wouldst have them do unto thee,” and was so charmed by this statement that he had it inscribed on the walls of his palace!

Several ancient Greek and Jewish philosophers taught the Golden Rule in the negative form: “Don’t do to others what you don’t want done to you.” By stating it positively, Jesus made the directive more significant. It is not particularly hard for most of us to refrain from harming others; it is much more difficult to take the initiative in doing something good for them. The Golden Rule as Jesus formulated it is the foundation for active goodness and mercy. “Do” is the operative word, so this is not a reactive mindset, but a proactive one.  

Extending ourselves to do good for others runs contrary to human nature because the natural man is self-centered. If something inconveniences us or does not fit with our desires or plans, we avoid it. However, when God removes the carnal nature, He replaces it with a pure love for Him and a desire to please Him, even when that requires personal sacrifice. The Golden Rule requires that we put others ahead of ourselves—that we consider their welfare ahead of our own. We read in Luke 10:27, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.” Loving others as ourselves means being concerned for them and actively working to make sure their needs are met—and that is the Golden Rule in action!

Today, think of a good and merciful action you can take for the benefit of someone else. You will find a blessing in doing so!