Friday reading

[Beth Rankin]

Fri, 11 January
Jesus said: Do to others as you would like them to do to you.
Mt 7:7-14

 

There were two bedtime prayers my parents had my sisters and me say: the Sh'ma in Hebrew and English (Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One) and the Golden Rule.  Raising my kids, I changed the wording, makng it a bit easier for them I think: Treat other people the way you want to be treated.

 

Thinking back, I have said that to many many more people than my own three kids.  Whenever people would tell me that I am so "nice" I usually responded with "I just treat people the way I'd like to be treated." 

 

What a simple simple rule to make life on earth a lot sweeter.

---

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[Ed Dorsey]

Another example of a simple, but not always easy rule, that if everyone followed it, we might see peace throughout the world :o)

However, I sometimes wonder about those people that don't like themselves, and should they follow the "letter" of this law; perhaps they do, and that it what makes it difficult for others to follow.

-Ed

--
Have a great day, unless you've made other plans!

[Beth Rankin]

I remember working with a difficult man who told me, when I complained he treated me in a way that was not very nice, that he was treating me the way he treats everyone.  I told him to clean up his act, but it fell on deaf ears.  And yes, he was what I would consider an unhappy person, not sure why his life was full of stress.

[Ed Dorsey]

Praying for that type of person used to be difficult, but I now see them as sad, perhaps sick people, who need prayer more than most. I've seen someone who thought they weren't worth a damn, and loving that person was a calling from God at times; I hope that I loved her as well as I could, and that it made a difference for her. In the end, we all leave this life, though.

[Barbara]

I think that what often happens (that makes the rule hard to follow)
is that we are tempted to project onto others what we don't like in
ourselves. That way we might not even have to admit that we don't like
ourselves as we ought.
I think that our view of others (and ourselves) needs to be corrected/
redeemed by the long view that God takes of us. When I am reminded by
the spirit that a person who is irritating me at the moment has his/
her own history and vulnerabilities, it's easier for me to treat him/
her with the kindness I would like to receive. If I don't listen to
that "still small voice," I'm much more likely to react to the
behavior that irritates me, which usually somehow mirrors something I
don't like in my self or in my past experience.
The good thing is that the more we follow this rule, especially with
children, the more it can build on itself to bring the peace of God. I
imagine that Beth's parents treated her the way they wanted to be
treated, as well, and so modeled the behavior that she now models for
those around her. My parents did a pretty good job of that, too, and
that makes it easier for me, though I know I fall short.
BL

On Jan 11, 6:28 am, Beth Rankin <sunbea...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Fri, 11 January
> Jesus said: Do to others as you would like them to do to you.
> Mt 7:7-14
>
>   There were two bedtime prayers my parents had my sisters and me say: the Sh'ma in Hebrew and English (Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One) and the Golden Rule.  Raising my kids, I changed the wording, makng it a bit easier for them I think: Treat other people the way you want to be treated.
>
>   Thinking back, I have said that to many many more people than my own three kids.  Whenever people would tell me that I am so "nice" I usually responded with "I just treat people the way I'd like to be treated."  
>
>   What a simple simple rule to make life on earth a lot sweeter.
>

> ---------------------------------

[Beth Rankin]

one last thought...there is a story that popped into my mind

 

During one of the many times Jewish people were persecuted, some high muckity muck had one of the great learned rabbis in an awkward position (and if I was a Bible scholar I could tell you exactly who and what and when and where but alas...I yam what I yam).  The powerful man told the rabbi to stand on one foot and teach him the essence of the Bible, telling him he would be killed should he not finish before he needed to put his foot down to regain balance.  The rabbi raised his foot, proclaimed "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you, the rest is commentary." and put his foot back down.

 

I have no idea if the man was killed anyway, but I think that about it wraps it up.

Barbara <barbara...@gmail.com> wrote:

I think that what often happens (that makes the rule hard to follow)
is that we are tempted to project onto others what we don't like in
ourselves. That way we might not even have to admit that we don't like
ourselves as we ought.
I think that our view of others (and ourselves) needs to be corrected/
redeemed by the long view that God takes of us. When I am reminded by
the spirit that a person who is irritating me at the moment has his/
her own history and vulnerabilities, it's easier for me to treat him/
her with the kindness I would like to receive. If I don't listen to
that "still small voice," I'm much more likely to react to the
behavior that irritates me, which usually somehow mirrors something I
don't like in my self or in my past experience.
The good thing is that the more we follow this rule, especially with
children, the more it can build on itself to bring the peace of God. I
imagine that Beth's parents treated her the way they wanted to be
treated, as well, and so modeled the behavior that she now models for
those around her. My parents did a pretty good job of that, too, and
that makes it easier for me, though I know I fall short.
BL

On Jan 11, 6:28 am, Beth Rankin wrote:
> Fri, 11 January
> Jesus said: Do to others as you would like them to do to you.
> Mt 7:7-14
>
>   There were two bedtime prayers my parents had my sisters and me say: the Sh'ma in Hebrew and English (Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One) and the Golden Rule.  Raising my kids, I changed the wording, makng it a bit easier for them I think: Treat other people the way you want to be treated.
>
>   Thinking back, I have said that to many many more people than my own three kids.  Whenever people would tell me that I am so "nice" I usually responded with "I just treat people the way I'd like to be treated."  
>
>   What a simple simple rule to make life on earth a lot sweeter.
>
> ---------------------------------
> Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile.  Try it now.