The Golden Rule

Everyone knows it: “Do unto others as you would have them do to you.” It could be shortened to ‘respect people’ or ‘consideration’ but no matter how you say it, this is a universal desire — everyone wants to be respected and given consideration no matter what. Sometimes it is easier to receive than give.

I watched a television show last night that was fiction but made the Golden Rule hugely difficult. A man was guilty of multiple attacks on women. He followed them wherever they fled and terrorized them for years. How would I treat that man? If it were up to me, could I apply the Golden Rule? Would I even be able to guess how I would want to be treated if I were him?

Thankfully, in our culture the response to people like that is not up to individuals. Our legal system is such that those who do what he did are punished, not given much respect or a pat on the head.

Tozer picks the following passage to promote the pat on the head approach for most things. It is written to a young pastor (not the police or civil magistrates) and tells him how to treat those who claim to be religious but wander off into false beliefs:

“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.” (2 Timothy 4:1–5, italics mine)

In situations where professing Christians are straying, Tozer says a direct attack is seldom helpful because “the heat in our spirit may not be from the Holy Spirit” and could do more harm than good. For one thing, we don’t know their situation.

For this and many other examples the Golden Rule comes into play. Jesus taught it and the Holy Spirit motivates it. While there are occasions for rebuke and harsh words (Jesus used this with the hypocrisy of the Pharisees), far better to be kind and loving, giving people the benefit of the doubt until it becomes obvious that they need something different.

The man in the TV show had no remorse for what he had done. If he broke down in sorrow and repentance, he may have faced a lighter punishment, but he still needed to be punished according to law. The Golden Rule was not given to eradicate consequences.

The ‘Christian’ who is turning away may also need strong talk, but he might better respond to tears of reproof, rebuke and exhortation accompanied by patience and solid teaching. If I were the one whose faith was faltering, I would want that instead of a stern sermon and a shaking finger of accusation.

^^^^^^^^^

Lord, I fully understand the need to listen to Your Spirit when in any sort of confrontational situations. While I’d rather not be there, this happens and there is no other way to know how to respond without listening to the One who knows the human heart. Grant me greater sensitivity to Your voice.