The Golden Rule – Treat People Right

“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you.” (Jesus)

We live in a world where so many people have been prejudiced and discriminated against based on social standing, the color of their skin, and whether a person is rich or poor. Many have been ill-treated, taken advantage of, and left downtrodden and oppressed. If you have been the victim of unfair discrimination or if you have ever been poorly treated, I pray that God will touch your life, bring healing to your life, and help you rise above the hurt.     

Today I want you to know that God doesn’t show favoritism. He loves all people, and he hates it when others treat people unfairly.  

You may have been deeply hurt by others. Someone may have treated you unjustly. You may have deep scars. Years later, you may still be downcast and broken. I pray that God will heal your heart, renew your mind, and bring breakthrough to your family. I pray that God will “restore the years that the locust has eaten.” (Joel 2:25)

No matter where you find yourself today, know that God can bring healing to your life.

God made you. He understands what you have gone through. He knows what you have had to face. He is able to restore your dignity and bring you through. He has a good plan for your life. No matter what you have gone through, your life has purpose and meaning. Your life is precious to God. 

Today, you can let go of your past pain and surrender it to God. Today, as a man or woman, made in the very image of God, who God made to be alive at this time in history, I pray that you will find healing and restoration and that you will receive a fresh revelation of the purpose and plan that God has for your life.  

In Genesis 1:27, it tells us that God created you and me. It tells us that “God created mankind in his own image, male and female he created them.” 

God did not just make you. He also wants his creation to be fruitful.  

“God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:28)

Yes, God made you. He wants you to be fruitful. He also made you unique. You are one-of-a-kind. There is no one quite like you. 

Look at this description of how God created you…

“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” (Psalm 139:13-16)

God made you wonderfully complex. He knows you through and through. He knows what makes you tick. He has given you certain talents and abilities that no one else has. Every day of your life has been mapped out. God gave you unique fingerprints. He knows “how many hairs you have on your head.” (Luke 12:7) 

God cares about you. He wants the best for you. Today is the day to rise up, look to God, and live your life with purpose and passion. I pray that God will open up new doors of opportunity in your life, that will launch you into a new season. When these opportunities arise, I pray you will run with them.

You may feel inadequate but know this: God made you, and he doesn’t make junk. You may not be living to your full potential today, but God has a plan for your life. You may not be where you know you need to be but keep pressing on. God made you with a purpose to fulfill. It is not how you start the journey but how you finish it. Even if you have fallen, you can get back up. God can fix what is broken and he can catapult you into your destiny. 

Do not despise the day of small beginnings. I believe that God wants you to let go of the things that have soured your life. It is time to soar. 

Look to God. Hold onto God. He wants to lead and guide you on the best pathway for your life.

“The Lord says, I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.” (Psalm 32:8)

Again, God says, “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?“ (Jeremiah 32:27)

Notice that God is the God of ALL the peoples of the world. He has no favorites. And nothing is too hard for him. You can call on him and he will answer. You can ask him to intervene in your life. If you are in a dark place, call on God to rescue you. 

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

God loves all people. He loves you. He wants the best for you.

No matter who you are, 

No matter where you come from, 

No matter your past mistakes or circumstances,

No matter where you find yourself today, 

God loves you. 

Treat Others Right

Maybe today, you have never been a victim of oppression, but you may have hurt others. Maybe you have shown prejudice toward others. Maybe you have discriminated against other people. You may be haunted by your past mistakes and the pain you have caused. 

If so, today you can acknowledge your errors, and you can come clean. You can call on God and ask him to God forgive you. 

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

Confess your sins to God.

He is faithful to forgive. 

He is also able to forgive you. 

He can bring complete cleansing to your life. 

The Golden Rule 

How are we supposed to treat others?

Jesus told us, “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 7:12)

In other words, we need to treat all people right.

As dearly loved children of God, made in the image of God, we are called to love, respect, and honor all people. No matter who they are or where they come from, we are to treat other people with kindness, dignity, and respect. 

Don’t show Favoritism

I heard of an experiment that was done where a beautiful attractive lady went into a pharmacy…

She went to the counter and asked for some assistance. The man behind the counter smiled and went out of his way to assist her, even going down the aisle with her to help her find all she needed. Nothing was too much of a problem.

After leaving the store, makeup artists got to work on this beautiful lady, and with some special effects, makeup, and some old dirty clothes, they transformed her into an ugly old tramp, and then sent her back into the same pharmacy.

She was served by the same man at the counter however her experience was completely different. This time the same man did not smile at her, he was not as helpful. In fact, he didn’t even want to accompany her down the aisle to help her find her product. When she asked for a little extra help, the assistant just rolled his eyes and sighed and then reluctantly continued to assist her. 

It is interesting to see the different service level that the attractive young woman received compared to the post service that the old ugly and dirty woman received.

There is a lot of discrimination these days. Favoritism is often shown based on social standing, the color of skin, and whether a person is rich or poor, and GOD HATES THIS!

In James 2:1, we are told, “My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?”

We need to be impartial. We should not judge on outward appearance. Sometimes we may judge people on how they look, how they talk, how they dress, or how much they have or don’t have. 

“It is wrong to show favoritism when passing judgment.” (Proverbs 24:23)

“Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism.” (Acts 10:34)

We have a lot of discrimination and racial tension in our world at present. As God’s children, we need to make a positive difference. 

It is wrong to judge people based on external appearance – based on what they look like, or how they may dress, or based on what car they drive, or where they live, or shop. These external issues are not important in the eyes of God.

Don’t discriminate. Show love to all people. They were created in God’s image. He has a plan and a purpose for them. Be kind. Have compassion. Don’t show favoritism. 

Look at the Heart

In 1 Samuel 16, it tells how God told the prophet Samuel to go approach a man named Jesse because God had selected one of his sons to be the next King.

So, at God’s instruction, Samuel invited Jesse and his sons to a ceremony. When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab, the oldest well-built son of Jesse, and thought, “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed!” 

In 1 Samuel 16:7, it says “… the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him.” 

One by one Jesse lined all seven of his sons up but the prophet declared that none of these sons was the one that the Lord has chosen. Then Samuel asked, “Are these all the sons you have?” 

Jesse then said, “There is still the youngest.” He was obviously thinking it cannot be David. I left him out in the fields to watch the sheep and goats. 

The prophet asked for David to be brought to them without delay.  When Samuel saw David, God showed him that David was the one, and he anointed David as the future King. 

In 1 Samuel 16:7, it goes on to say, “The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 

God looks at the heart. His ways are higher than ours. 

“For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9) 

“For the Lord your God shows no partiality and cannot be bribed.” (Deuteronomy 10:17)

I want to therefore encourage you not to judge people by things that are unimportant to God. God’s measuring stick is different to ours. God has compassion for all people. 

We often judge by outward appearance, but God sees the real you. He knows your story. He knows your history, the good, bad, and the ugly, yet he still loves us and wants the best for his creation. We can wear masks, not just during covid, but even when we are out with friends. Sometimes you may put on a brave face, even when you are stressed out and shattered on the inside. God sees exactly what is happening on the inside. He knows you through and through. You cannot hide anything from God. He sees you, the real you.

Are you a Child of God?

There are so many people who live a life devoid of God. You may call yourself an atheist or agnostic, but this doesn’t change the fact that God made you. He loves you and longs for you to turn to him. 

God made you one of a kind. He placed a God-shaped vacuum in your heart, and only he can fill it. Open your heart to God. Invite him in. 

You may want to start, or even restart, your walk with God, but you feel too bad. Maybe you slipped up. Maybe you drifted from God. Are you living in guilt and condemnation, haunted by a past sin? Bring it to Jesus. Even if you have messed up, you can come back to God. 

God doesn’t want to see you bound by your past sins. He wants to forgive you and cleanse you. 

If you want to start or restart your walk with God, click here to pray a simple prayer we have set up for you.

Do You Realize what Jesus did for You on The Cross?

Do you know how much God loves you?

Jesus died to purchase our freedom. On the cross, he took the full punishment for our sins. He paid the full price for all our sins so that we can be forgiven and come into a relationship with God. 

“We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. (Romans 3:22-24)

Jesus made a way for all people to come back into a relationship with God. This includes you.

Accept Jesus today, as your Lord and Savior. Your life will never be the same again. 

Life on earth is short and temporary. Eternity is forever. Each one of us will one day have to appear before God. We will either spend eternity with God, in His Kingdom or be separated from him in hell, where there will be fire and destruction. 

The good news is that Jesus did it all. When you take Jesus as your Savior, you become a child of God, your sin is forgiven, and you become a new creation. Your eternity is secured, and you never have to face another day alone on earth. God becomes your Father, and he promises that he will never leave you nor forsake you.

If you have never surrendered your life to God, do so now. He loves you. He wants to be your God. 

If you want to start or restart your walk with God, click here to pray a simple prayer we have set up for you.

Ephesians 2:13 says, “But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.”

To those who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior, we are told, “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28) 

God is Color-Blind. We are all One in Christ.

The barrier was broken by the cross. God’s Kingdom does not judge based on external appearances. God’s Kingdom is color-blind and is a class-free zone. If you are a child of God, then we are all one in Christ Jesus.

In the book of James, it gives us an example of how we sometimes show favoritism…

“For example, suppose someone comes into your meeting dressed in fancy clothes and expensive jewelry, and another comes in who is poor and dressed in dirty clothes. If you give special attention and a good seat to the rich person, but you say to the poor one, “You can stand over there, or else sit on the floor”—well, doesn’t this discrimination show that your judgments are guided by evil motives? (James 2:2-4)

This would be blatant discrimination. If we acted like this, we would be showing that we are guided by wrong motives. We are NOT to show favoritism based on if a person is rich or poor. We are NOT to discriminate. 

As Children of God, we must be careful that we do not show favoritism or discriminate in our personal lives. 

In Luke 18 and 19, it shows a parallel picture of a “poor blind beggar” and the “rich tax collector” who was known as a bit of a corrupt gangster. Interestingly we don’t know the blind beggar’s name, but we know the rich influential man’s name was Zacchaeus. Both these men met Jesus. One from the gutter-most part of society and one from the uttermost part of society. Both their lives were forever changed. Both found new life. Jesus did not show favoritism. Jesus didn’t discriminate. 

We are not to judge based on social standing or on the level of influence. God made all people and according to the book of Genesis, God made all of us in his image.

Because of sin, we “all fall short of God’s glorious standard,” but thank God that He sent Jesus to pay the price for all of us. Without Jesus, our eternity is at risk and we would be in serious trouble. 

Love

Jesus told us, “‘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.  A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)

We are called to love God, fully and completely.

We are also called to love people. 

According to Jesus, all the laws are based on loving God and loving people.

Let’s face it, in worldly terms it may be more beneficial to show favoritism to people of influence or to hang out with people who are successful. We are often impressed by fame and fortune, BUT as Children of God, we cannot show favoritism. We need to show love and compassion to all. 

The Greatest Love of All

Jesus told us that the greatest command we have was simply to “Love the Lord your God with all our heart, all your soul, and all your mind” and to also “Love your neighbor as you love yourself.”

The truth is, we have all broken this law. We have all messed up. Yet, because of our failure, do you know what God did? Instead of getting angry with us for our shortcomings, God showed the greatest love of all. 

1 John 4:9 tells us, “God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.”

This scripture goes on and tells us what real love is: 

“This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” (1 John 4:10)

Although we have sinned and were incapable of loving God and people, God sent Jesus to save us! 

^“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17)

Do you see God’s heart? He loves ALL people. He shows no favoritism. Whether you have messed up big-time or only make small mistakes, we all miss God’s mark. Not one of us was good enough, yet God showed real love to us all. We desperately needed a Savior, and God sent Jesus to save us. 

Jesus Christ paid the full price for sin for ALL PEOPLE, whether rich or poor when he shed his blood and died on the cross so that all people have the opportunity to find eternal life.

Because of the finished work of Jesus, we now fall under a New Covenant. The Old Testament Laws used to condemn us, but Jesus Christ now offers all people his mercy, love, and grace. In return, we should show mercy and love to others too. 

The Kingdom of God is a class-free and colorblind zone. All who accept Jesus Christ as Lord are God’s beloved children and are therefore acceptable to God. God has no favorites. Jesus is supreme, and He offers unconditional love. We cannot earn it. We do not deserve it. The barriers are broken down by the cross.

Show Mercy

If you want mercy, you need to show mercy. Do you know what God’s mercy is? It is when He chooses to withhold the punishment we deserve.  

James clearly says that God will be merciful to you if you have been merciful.

In Luke 6:37–38, Jesus says, “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” 

Do not judge. Show love, show mercy, show undeserved favor, and it will come back to you multiplied over. Show FAVOR instead of FAVORITISM.

Thank God that mercy triumphs over judgment. Instead of showing favoritism, show underserved favor to all.

So, let us Wrap Up …

Don’t show favoritism – God hates it. Jesus doesn’t discriminate. He doesn’t show favoritism. Jesus did not die only for certain people. He didn’t die only for the rich or only for the poor or only for the famous or for only those in need. He died for all people so that we can know his mercy and his grace. By the way, God’s grace is his undeserved kindness and favor.

Don’t judge on external appearance. We often judge on external appearance. When we do this, we are standing on dangerous ground. Our social standing, our education, or the color of our skin makes NO difference to God. Our wealth or lack of it is irrelevant. 

God is color-blind, and His Kingdom is class-free. He does not show favoritism. He died and showed his mercy, and his undeserved favor to all people – this includes you!

So instead of showing favoritism, rather show love, mercy, and underserved favor, and mercy and underserved favor will come to you. Show favor instead of favoritism.

Live by The Golden Rule: Treat people right!

And, no matter who you are, God loves you. He has no favorites. We are all his prized possession. Live your life with purpose and passion. Ask God for his help. He wants you to bother him with your problems. He wants to do life with you.

If you do not know God as your Father, give your heart to Him. Invite Him in. What are you waiting for? 

“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you.” (Jesus – Matthew 7:12)