Are you aware of how you are treating people? Are you aware that how you see people is the way in which you will treat them? Well, let us be conscious and be careful how we treat people, because the things we do to others have a funny way of coming back to us. The persons we take for granted today may turn out to be the persons we will need tomorrow.
You see, how we treat others matters to God. How we feel about others matters to God. The thoughts we have about others matter to God. Scripture is full of specific instructions on how we should treat each other. Jesus is not just saying to refrain from doing to others what you would not want done to you, but He is saying do to others what you would have them do to you.
Here are some scriptures that explain clearly what God expects from us in this regard. Let us read them carefully and consider how to apply them in our lives:
• Leviticus 19:11 – Do not steal. Do not lie. Do not deceive one another.
• John 13:34 – A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
• John 13:35 – By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.
• Romans 12:16 – Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.
• Romans 14:13 – Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.
• Romans 15:7 – Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
• 1 Corinthians 1:10 – I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.
• Ephesians 4:2 – Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
• Colossians 3:13 – Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
• Hebrews 10:24 – And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
• James 4:11 – Do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.
Timothy is a prime example of someone who looked out for others. Philippians 2:20-21 says, “I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare. All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ.” Timothy was lauded for putting others’ welfare as a top priority. His lifestyle was a model for what Paul said in Philippians 2:4, “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
Is not Timothy’s example an example to us today? Other people’s needs, interests, cares, problems, victories, joys, etc., should be important to us. Therefore, we should treat others, in the same manner, we would like to be treated. That is what the Scripture is saying when it says, ‘love your neighbour as yourself.’
Jesus states in Matthew 22:37- 40, ‘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 neighbour as yourself.’
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments. This Scripture explains that the summary of all of God’s Law and the Prophets can be boiled down to two commands: loving God and loving your neighbour.
Jesus answered the question of ‘Who is my neighbour?’ when He gave the parable of the Good Samaritan. Love reaches out even to enemies. The ‘Golden Rule’ is not limited to people you like, but to all our human relationships.
And we know from God’s Word that we cannot genuinely obey the greatest commandment to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength if we do not obey the second greatest commandment, which is to love people. Listen to this:
If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: “Whoever loves God must also love his brother.” 1 John 4:20-21. So our living up to God’s standards and God’s laws hinges greatly on loving others. For loving others is the fulfillment of the law.
Life is like a boomerang. What you throw in it is what will return to you. So be careful how you treat people. Never hurt anybody especially if they did not do anything wrong to you. Do not allow negative thinking direct your attitude or affect how you treat others.
Remember: Being a good person does not depend on your religion, status, race, colour, political views or culture. It depends on how you treat others.
About the Author: Mrs. Marilyn Hodge owns and operates the Wellness Centre in the Farrington, Anguilla. The Centre offers Counselling Services by Appointment Only and has now published Positive Living Volume 2. Contact information: 476-3517 or email:marilynb@anguillanet.com. www.facebook.com/axawellnesscentre
