We Should Truly Live By The Golden Rule

I am sure we have all heard the saying, “Treat others how you want to be treated”, perhaps several times over. That phrase is also known as “The Golden Rule”.  The phrase is a very loosely said one, however, it has an extremely deep rooted meaning. It is used to measure the quality of care, thought, compassion, treatment, etc. given by someone to others.  It is felt that if someone treated others how they themselves would like to be treated, the treatment would be given with the best intention, in the best possible manner, giving the receiver the most optimum result.

Many have used the phrase in relating to the care of others.  For example, I have heard someone say they provide care to another as they would want someone to treat their mother.  Anyone who uses their “mother” in the Golden Rule example had better provide the best, since any care given to Mother should be the best, as it is Mom who is the dearest to our hearts.  No one would dare disrespect or dishonor Mother.

Take a look at the “porch pirates”.  I didn’t capitalize the name because they don’t deserve it.  These are the thieves who steal packages that are delivered to someone’s home via Amazon, the U.S. Postal Service, UPS, FedEx and others.  These are selfish ones who take from others for some horrible personal gain.  I know for a fact, that if someone stole anything from these thieves’ porch, they would not like that, and will probably want to exert some type of revenge on the thief who violated them.

Not right…

Have you ever trusted someone (who you thought you could trust) with confidential details about your life, just to hear that they have told others?  I know, it is devastating, and a total betrayal.  As a result, you are uncomfortable when you are in the same company with those who were told your story. You feel the awkward looks from them, and perhaps hear the whispers as they look.  In the meantime the “betrayer” continues on, with total disregard of the golden rule principle, and will in time, repeat the next offense to the next person.

Not right….

I’ll tell you the short version of a personal story.  A few years ago, two men burglarized my home.  I had never seen these two in my life.  My house alarm was triggered, and my cameras recorded them.  I’m not sure if they saw the cameras or not.  They broke my door down.  In the short time they were in my home, they managed to ransack my home and steal my jewelry and other items.  They left my home carrying numerous items very sentimental to me.

They had no regard for my feelings, my home, the items stolen, or anything that concerned me.  They were very selfish in many ways that day.  First, they made the decision to break into the home.  Second, they did just that, and by doing so damaged my door and door structure. Next, they removed my property and did not return any of them.  Finally, they left my home totally vulnerable, opened, and unprotected.  They left me with the task of repairing the damage they did, and cleaning up the mess they made as they searched my home looking for items to take.

Not right…

The burglary was a violation.  The criminals would not want me to break into their home to steal their property, so why did they do that to me?  They did not believe in The Golden Rule.  If they did, they would not have committed the crime.

So what do we take from this?  It is very simple.  The Golden Rule!  Do unto others, what you would have them do unto you.  Really do it.

-If you don’t want anyone gossiping about you, do not gossip about others;
-If you don’t want someone stealing from you, do not steal from others (or even from your job);
-If you don’t want someone to tell your business, do not tell the business of others;
-If you don’t want anyone sleeping with your spouse, do not sleep with the spouses of others;
-If you don’t want anyone to burglarize your property, do not burglarize anyone else’s property;
-If you don’t want anyone to lie about you, do not lie about others.

Living The Golden Rule is to make a conscious and intentional effort to treat others as you would want them to treat you, even when they don’t treat you according to the golden rule principles.  You will be rewarded in knowing that you are doing your best to be the best person you can be.  This will up your integrity game.  You will soon learn that this is a liberating state of existence, and gain the respect of others knowing you are someone who treats others well.

Today I think, then become someone who lives by the Golden Rule!