What does “Doing to Others” (The Golden Rule) mean in the Bible?

"Do to others what you would like them to do to you" is a biblical concept spoken by Jesus in Luke 6:31 and Matthew 7:12; it is commonly called the "Golden Rule".

"So in everything, do to others what you would like to be done to you, because this sums up the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 7:12).

"Do to others what you would like to be done to you" (Luke 6:31).

In the same way John records: “A new command that I give you: love one another. How I loved you, so you have to love each other. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another "(John 13: 34-35).

Biblical Commentaries from the NIV Biblical Theological Study on Luke 6:31,

“Many think that the Golden Rule is simply mutual, as if we act on the way we want to be treated. But other parts of this section minimize this focus on reciprocity and, in fact, cancel it (vv. 27-30, 32-35). At the end of the section, Jesus provides a different basis for our actions: we should imitate God the Father (v. 36). "

Our response to God's grace should be to extend it to others; we love because before he loved us, therefore, we love others as we are loved. This is the simple but difficult command to live. Let's take a closer look at how we can live this every day.

"Do to others", The great commandment, The golden rule ... What it really means
In Mark 12: 30-31, Jesus said: “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength. The second is equally important: love your neighbor as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these. " Without doing the first part, you don't really have a chance to try the second part. When you strive to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, you get the help of the Holy Ghost who helps you love other people.

Some people may say that it is in our nature to do good to others. After all, there has been a "random act of kindness" movement for a long time. But in general, most people only help others when:

1. He is their friend or family.
2. It is convenient for them.
3. I'm in a good mood either
4. They expect something in return.

But the Bible doesn't say you do random acts of kindness when you feel good. He says he loves others at all times. He also says he loves your enemies and those who persecute you. If you are only kind to your friends, how are you different from anyone else. Everyone does it (Matthew 5:47). Loving everyone at all times is a much more difficult task to accomplish. It is imperative to allow the Holy Spirit to help you.

It depends on the Golden Rule: do to others what you would like to be done to you (Luke 6:31). In other words, treat everything as you want to be treated, and most of all treat everything as God has treated you. If you want to be treated well, treat someone else well; treat someone else well because of the grace that has been given to you. So that regardless of how you feel in a given situation, you can offer grace like the grace that God extends to you every day. You are probably thinking that sometimes you are kind, very kind, and in return you receive contempt from some people. Unfortunately, this can and will happen. People don't always treat you the way they want to be treated or the way you want to be treated. But that doesn't mean you can stop doing the right thing. Don't let someone drag you into their network of indifferent hardness. Two mistakes never make a right and revenge does not belong to us.

Leave your wound to "do to others"
Everyone is injured or has been wounded in some way in this world; nobody has the perfect life. The wounds of life can harden and make me bitter, therefore, making me just look out alone. Selfishness will never allow me to grow and move forward. It is easy for injured people to continue the cycle of hurting other people, whether they know it or not. People stuck in a pain mentality tend to wrap a protective cocoon around themselves so tightly that all they see is themselves. But if everyone hurts in some way, how can we stop this cycle of hurting others?

The wounds must not harden me; I can improve thanks to them. It's okay to let myself feel deeply hurt, but instead of stiffening, I can allow God to give me a new perspective. A perspective of empathy because I understand how a particular pain feels. There is always someone else who is going through what I have already experienced. This is a great way I can "do to others" - to help them overcome the pains of life, but first I have to get rid of my hardened shell. Sharing my pain with others begins the process. The vulnerability or risk of harming me is becoming real with them and hopefully they will see that they are truly there for them.

Losing self-centeredness
When I always think of myself and what I have to do, I often don't notice what others around me are really experiencing. Life can be busy, but I have to force myself to look around. There are usually more opportunities to help others if only I took the time to really see them and their needs. Everyone is concerned about their duties, goals and dreams, but the Scripture says that they are not concerned for my sake but for the sake of others (1 Corinthians 10:24).

Working hard to achieve a goal can be a good thing, even divine. But the best goals include helping others in them. A person can study hard in medical school to create a lifestyle they want, or they can study hard to treat their patients' ailments. Adding the motivation to help others greatly improves any goal.

There are two great temptations when confronting another person. One is to think that I am better than them. The other is to think that I'm not as good as them. Neither is useful; fight the comparative trap. When I compare, I see the other person through my filter; therefore I look at them but I think of myself. The comparison wants me to keep an eye on it. Compare only yourself today with yourself from yesterday. Do I behave better today than yesterday? Not perfect but better. If the answer is yes, praise God; if the answer is no, seek the guidance of the Holy Ghost. Seek the guidance of the Lord every day because we cannot be better alone.

Eliminating your thoughts as much as possible and reflecting on who God is will keep you on track to help others.

Remember Christ and your new life in him
Once I had died in my sin and in my disobedience. While I was still a sinner, Christ died for me. I had nothing to offer to Christ, but he contacted me. He died for me. Now I have a new life in him. Thanks to grace, I have a new chance to do better every day and the certainty that it will never leave me or abandon me. He died for you too.

Have you found encouragement from belonging to Christ?
Have you felt comfort from his love?
Have you been blessed with friendship with his Spirit?
So respond by loving other people with the love you receive daily. Work hard to live in harmony with anyone you come into contact with (Philippians 2: 1-2).

Live to help others
Jesus made it simple by saying "love others," and when we truly love others we will do many, many good deeds. The New Testament has many commands on doing to others, which shows us the importance God attaches to loving others as we have been loved. We can only love because he loved us first.

Live in peace and harmony with others; be patient with them because people learn at different rates and people change at different times. Be patient as they learn one step at a time. God hasn't given up on you, so don't give up on them. Be devoted to other people, love them deeply, take care of them and spend time with them. Listen to them, offer accommodation and honor where it is justified, worry about others in the same way and do not favor the rich over the poor or vice versa.

Don't judge others harshly; even if their actions are wrong, look at them with compassion because they do it. Accept them as a person created in the image of God even in their wrongdoing. They may or may not be doomed and see the error of their ways when you listen to them, but when someone feels continually doomed they will not be able to see the hope that is in grace. Even worse, than judging others in the face, he complains and slanders them behind them. Nothing good ever comes out of slander and gossip, even when you're just venting your frustration.

Teach others, share with them, encourage and encourage them, and build them. If you are a musician, sing for them. If you are artistic, make them something beautiful to remind them that the goodness of God reigns in a fallen world. When you make others feel better, you can't help but feel better. This is how God designed us: love, worry, build, share, be kind and grateful.

Sometimes all it takes to encourage someone is to greet them where they are and be fully present with them. This hardened and fallen world often leaves courtesies; thus, even a smile and a simple greeting can go far in helping people not to feel alone. Serve others, offer hospitality and understand what they need in life and somehow fill that need. May your acts of love indicate them to the supreme love of Christ for them. Do they need a babysitter? Do they need a hot meal? Do they need money to get them through the month? You don't have to do everything, just step in and do something to lift some of their weight. When people have a need that you cannot satisfy, pray for them and encourage them. You may not know the answer to their problem, but God knows it.

Forgive others, even when they don't ask for forgiveness
Let go of all your complaints and let God solve them. Your way forward will be hindered or even stopped if you don't. Tell them the truth. If you see something that may need to change in their lives, tell them honestly but kindly. Admonishing others from time to time; warning words are easier to hear from a friend. Small lies will not save them from hearing bad things from others. Lies only serve to save you from feeling uncomfortable.

Confess your sins to others. Testify of how you were before, but by the grace of God you are no longer. Admit sins, admit weaknesses, admit fears and do it in front of other people. Never have a more holy attitude than you. We all have sin and are not up to what we really want to be, and we all need the grace that comes from faith in Christ alone. Use your God-given gifts and talents to serve others. Share what you are good at with others; don't keep it to yourself. Don't let fear of rejection stop you from showing grace to others.

Remember Christ again and again and again
Finally, submit to each other for your reverence for Christ. After all, he wasn't thinking of himself. He took the humble position of coming to earth as a human being to create a way for us to get to heaven and show us the way to live. He even died on the cross to seal the deal once and for all. Jesus' way is to think of others more often than ourselves and has set an example for us. What you do for others, you do for him. You begin by loving God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. This leads you to love others as much as possible and those acts of loving others are also acts of loving him. It's a beautiful circle of love and the way we all had to live.