Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Ask Yourself Three Questions

Jesus replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” -- Matthew 22:37-38

How do you determine what is right and what is wrong? Does every decision reflect what Jesus would do or what He would have us do? Think about it. Oh, most of us seek God’s will on the big things. What about the smaller moments? Not so much.

Adam Hamilton, the senior pastor at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, gave three simple rules to help us determine what is right and what is wrong.

The first question we should ask ourselves: Will this honor God.

“A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” -- Matthew 22:39

Who is your neighbor? Anyone and everyone. Jesus tells us to love our enemies and to love one another. Some folks are easy to love. Others are pretty difficult to even like and we’re supposed to love them. It doesn’t matter. We’re supposed to ask ourselves what’s the loving thing to do -- even when it’s someone who has done us wrong.

“Do for others what you would like them to do for you. This is a summary of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.” -- Mathew 7:12

We've all heard this before. It's called the Golden Rule. But what does it mean?

In his study, Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White, Hamilton gives an example about selling a used car. How would you feel if you bought the car? How would you feel two months later? You’d want to feel good about your purchase. That’s how the person who buys the car from you should feel.

Of course, this method of making decisions isn’t without problems. Whenever we’re the ones asking questions and coming up with the answers, we’re going to make mistakes. We’re going to get it wrong sometimes. But it’s a starting point.

Friday, August 5, 2011

Follow The Golden Rule

“Do for others what you would like them to do for you. This is a summary of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.” -- Matthew 7:12

Let’s imagine that, just for today, you’ll experience everything you do to others as if they were doing it to you. For example, someone talks to you the way you spoke to the waitress at lunch. Or your boss is hateful to you, the way you were hateful to one of your employees. Or you get rejected by a friend, the one you rejected someone else. It doesn’t feel good, does it?

Jesus told us to treat other people the way we want to be treated. How often do we do that? Honestly? We’re so busy living our lives, focused on ourselves, that we really don’t pay attention to other people. Especially people that we really don’t know and doubt we’ll see again. It’s like we ignore them and their feelings.

Kindness and compassion mean so much to people. You just never know when a smile and a “thank you” will make a person’s day. The people around us, having their lives, are carrying burdens we can’t begin to imagine. We’re so busy not getting involved, staying in our tight little world, that we don’t realize what a difference we can make.

Sometimes we’re called to do things that just aren’t convenient. Like help an elderly person get up a few stairs. Or listen to a stressed co-worker. Or give a few dollars to someone in need when we really don’t have anything extra in our wallets.

Years ago I spent a great deal of time in and out of malls, working and supervising employees. I was shocked at the number of children who would get separated from their parents. I was appalled at how other people, especially parents, who wouldn’t help a child who was crying and alone. I vowed to always take time to help a child.

And I did. One little boy was hysterical as he ran through the mall. Tears streamed from his face. People looked and pointed but no one attempted to help him. I simply bent down and opened my arms and he ran right into them. A nearby store clerk called security and the little boy was soon reunited with his parents.

I’d like to think that my presence didn’t matter. That little boy would have been fine and reunited with his parents without me. But what if the person who “helped” was a child predator just looking for a victim? Maybe it’s the former news reporter in me, but I just can’t walk away. I know that I’ll do everything I can to get that child either reunited with his parents or into the custody of the police. But I don’t know about the next person. So I make time.

Instead of thinking that you don’t have time or it doesn’t involve you, ask yourself how you would feel if that were your child, or your elderly parent or you on the receiving end of a tongue lashing. It puts things in a different perspective, doesn't it? We'd all be happier and safer if we'd just follow the Golden Rule.