April 30

Gold is one of the most sought-after materials in the world – it is a beautiful yellowish color, it is rare, and it does not tarnish. Most other precious metals, like copper and silver, don’t stay in their pure states for very long. Gold has become a standard like no other. We use it to designate the very best of many things – the gold standard, gold medals, and the Golden Rule.

            The Golden Rule is not unique to Christianity, though Jesus mentions it in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:12), but it is considered to be central to Christian ethics. Sometimes, though, it seems as if this gold is tarnished. If you’ve read the news lately, the Golden Rule no longer seems to apply to anything or anyone in this world. The Golden Rule has been replaced by this rule: “Do unto others before they do unto you.”

            I’m no theological expert, but I’m pretty certain that isn’t what Jesus or any other religious leader who advocated The Golden Rule had in mind. I also don’t know very many people who like being treated like yesterday’s garbage. For the world’s sake, we must reclaim the original sense of the Golden Rule and put it out there for all to see, with no hidden motives. We reap what we sow; let us, therefore, strive to sow good in the world so that we may reap the benefits.