You probably think this title refers to the Bible as set forth so beautifully in Psalm 19:10 and just thinking about that verse makes me sorely tempted to change lanes and go there but I’ll stick with the plan and discuss a different kind of gold.

Specifically, the “golden rule”.

I’m sure 99.9% of us heard this many times in our childhood:  “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” from Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:31.

Matthew 5-7 is the well-known Sermon on the Mount, which I believe is the greatest message, sermon, speech or oration of any kind ever spoken by a human, to this day, a record certain to never be broken.  So deep yet simple to understand yet so elegant.  Amazing.

But I believe this to be the FLOOR for us, NOT the ceiling.

What I mean by this is that this is true even on a purely human, earthly basis, right?  Do unto others as you would have them do unto you – because they WILL!  Because that’s exactly what’s going to happen 99% of the time.  With some but few exceptions, give respect and you’ll get it.  Give love and you’ll get that, too.  Be generous with others and they’ll be generous with you.  Show kindness and it’ll come back to you in spades.  A handful of verses later in that second passage, in verse 38, this is famously stated in this way:  “Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap.  For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.”

Yes, the “golden rule” is a fine way to go through life, it’s a fine goal but should be the MINIMUM, not the maximum.  It’s quite literally the least we can do.

So I’m calling this the “rhodium rule”, because that’s the most valuable metal on earth.  It’s gold to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”, but it’s rhodium to “do unto others as God does unto you.”  That’s a much higher and better standard.  Therefore even to those who mock and ridicule us we should show mercy.  Even to those who hate us, we should show love.  Even to those who are cruel to us, we should show kindness.

This “rhodium rule” is set forth throughout the Bible, with one of my favorite examples being Colossians 3:13 – “bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; JUST AS the Lord forgave you, so also should you.”  Do unto others as God does unto you.  Matthew 18:21-35 is another great example of the “rhodium rule”.  But perhaps my favorite in this regard is Romans 12:20-21 which says, “But if your enemy [who?  even your ENEMY] is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink. … Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

So as I go through each day, I’m going to think in terms not merely of doing unto others as I would have them do unto me but rather doing unto others as GOD DOES unto me.

Why settle for gold when we can have rhodium?!
.

Share this post with, well, EVERYONE!

.