"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."
Often called the Golden Rule, this passage goes hand in hand with the Great Commandment: to love God with all of our hearts, souls, mind and strength, and love others as we love ourselves. Jesus also said that concept summed up the Law and the Prophets. We have to come to the conclusion that this is important. Loving others as we love ourselves, treating other as we want to be treated.
Unfortunately, our natural tendency is to manipulate others and take advantage of others in order to get our own way. As simple as the Golden Rule is, it is also quite difficult. And that seems to be the way of true spiritual principles: simple (as in not complicated), yet difficult (as in can't be done apart from God).
I think that perhaps treating others as we want to be treated, and loving others as we love ourselves begins with seeing others as God sees them. When we see others as deeply loved children of God, even when they are confused and disagreeable and acting out their pain and wrong thinking, we can have a measure of compassion -the same compassion God has for us.
Lord, help me to see (and treat) others as you see them, and love them as You love them. Amen.
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