The Golden Rule!
@golden rule;@spirituality
Sunday!
June 9, 2024
10th Sunday in Ordinary Time!
“Sloughing Towards Galiless!”
“The River Runs Through It!”
“Practicing the Golden Rule!”
Mark 3:20-35
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Jesus and Beelzebub Mark 3:20-28 NRSVUE
20?Then he went home, and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. 21?When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.” 22?And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.” 23?And he called them to him and spoke to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24?If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25?And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26?And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. 27?But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered.
Treat others as you would like to be treated.”
As we enter days of hot weather, I know that summer will pass by rapidly, my favorite time of the year. My mind wanders to mountains, streams, and fishing on days like this week, a very warm week. I will read of my friend’s Dana’s days at her mountain cabin in the Rockies and follow every Facebook, wishing I was there. I return to A River Runs Through It, a book that ?that encapsulates the essence of finding meaning and peace in the flow of life. This summer I am going to be laid back, simply doing outreach at a slow pace, getting out of town when I can, reading and praying, having no volunteers, simply being laid back reflecting and enjoying this time, in my thirtieth year, understanding that I am closer now to the end than the beginning.
Today we hear of “strong men” in Israel, Africa, South America; we hear of “strong men” in our political race, that divide, and hurt many. In I Samuel 8:4-20 we read of the Israelites requesting a king, rather than governing themselves, and Samuel warns them loud and clear, they are making a mistake, he tells them to trust God, and follow the commandments. They insist and the rest is history.
In this election year Jesus gives us the Golden Rule which has stood the test of time as one of the most powerful principles ever invented for both moral and meaningful living. It has been shared across continents, cultures, and eras, and its message is simple: to live in harmony with the world around you, treat other people the exact way you would want them to treat you.
The Golden Rule holds benefits for our friends and the people we love. But it also holds benefits for society as a whole, us as individuals, and even our enemies (which might be an unpopular thing to desire, but a life constantly chasing revenge is an awful way to live).
The principle teaches us that we are responsible for how we treat others and that we always have a choice in the matter. More than that, we should choose love, empathy, kindness, and compassion. And I can think of no better way to be remembered than living out those attributes.
My whole life, my ministry has been committed, and dedicated to treating everyone through this Rule. Ultimately this is all that matters.
The Golden Rule is often memorized and often cited, but it is more than a philosophical idea to be written down in autobiographies and self-help books.
It is a practical approach to living that can help us filter good choices from bad ones. And we can apply this filter to the smallest actions (like the words we say) to the most significant of decisions (reconciling with a family member).
Our ?society seems more divided than at any other time in my life. Depression and anxiety is higher than it has ever been.
?The prevalence of social media seems to indicate we are more connected than ever, but feelings of loneliness and isolation are on the rise. With this backdrop, the Golden Rule offers a path to friendships and healthy relationships that makes it feel more golden than ever. The Golden Rule is the key to our living in this time of divided relationships, and hate and anger.
The Golden Rule is important because it helps us overcome our natural inclination toward selfishness. It challenges us to think beyond our own needs and desires and consider the well-being of others.
In friendships, this shift in mindset can make a significant difference. When we prioritize the needs of our friends and treat them the way we would like to be treated, we create an environment of mutual respect.
In society, this same shift would probably result in more trust, more understanding, and greater unity. Nobody wants to be called names online and have strangers jump to unfounded assumptions about their motives. We would be wise to think about and interact with others the way we’d want them to think about and interact with us.
There are some who might argue that living by the Golden Rule would result in getting bullied, pushed around, and taken advantage of. But I disagree. When we respond to unkindness with kindness, we begin to break the cycle of retaliation. And peacemakers tend to attract others who support them and stand up for them. Kind people don’t always win in this world, I agree. But neither do unkind people. I’d rather roll the dice with kindness.
Now, as we are all aware, it’s one thing to acknowledge the wisdom and timelessness of the Golden Rule, but living by it is a completely different type of challenge.
?There are practical ways that we can begin to embody this approach in our relationships and friendships—for ourselves, our friends, and society. But before I do, it might be helpful to acknowledge the forces that work against us.
?“Know thy enemy,” Sun Tzu famously said. By recognizing the challenges that keep us from following the Golden Rule, and the reality that these forces are both internal and external, we are better poised to overcome them.
Here are a few of the enemies stacked against us:
We all have natural tendencies in our heart and soul, and many of these pull us away from our desired outcomes. For example, the pull inside us toward selfishness, jealousy, and revenge can sometimes overshadow our desire to act kindly. The very human urge to put ourselves first and protect our own interests makes it hard to follow the rule as often as we’d like. So we have in San Francisco five thousand homeless, and so many more in dire poverty just scraping by.
Society often promotes a worldview where success is measured by material wealth, status, or power. This messaging can lead us to believe that achieving these goals requires us to prioritize ourselves over others. The assumption that getting ahead means outdoing or outmaneuvering others makes it difficult to practice selflessness. Success is being a great sports player, hospitals are named after social media kings; success is going to the right schools, hanging out with the right people. Success is measured by results. Real success is loving others, caring for others, walking with others.
When we’re hurt or angered, our immediate response often overshadows our ability to consider the long-term benefits of peace. In the heat of the moment, it’s easier to react impulsively than to reflect on the impact of our actions.
When we have time to think about how we intend to respond in an upcoming circumstance or conversation, following the Golden Rule becomes easier. But when a difficult circumstance seems to come out of nowhere, it takes great patience, wisdom, and intentionality to follow the Golden Rule.
Life can be harsh and even cruel. Truthfully life sucks! Sometimes this cruelty comes from other people; sometimes it arises from circumstances. But either way, the harsher we are dealt with, the easier it becomes to deal harshly with others. As you get older you learn quickly how harsh life can be, we best walk with others in their shoes, making their lives easier, not expecting anything in return.
The pervasive cultural message to “look out for number one” ?encourages us to prioritize our own needs and preferences above all else. And while, in the long run, following the Golden Rule is the best way to prioritize our needs, it doesn’t always feel that way. In fact the mood of the world now, it seems completely absent.
All of that to say, living by the Golden Rule isn’t easy. But how? What are some practical ways we can accomplish this in our relationships?
My goal with the following list isn’t to argue that living out the Golden Rule in our relationships is easy to do—I’ve already said it isn’t.
My goal is to offer both old and new ideas that help display the number of opportunities we do have each day to live it out. And hopefully improve all of our relationships because of it.
Make it a habit to understand your friends’ perspectives and emotions. Empathy is the foundation of meaningful friendships, so ask more questions.
A friend recently told me that when he is talking to a friend and disagrees with something they say, rather than arguing for his position, he’s learned to simply respond with the phrase: “Tell me more.” Far better than getting into an argument over who is right, it usually results in more understanding. I don’t agree half with what I hear, but this is their story, I listen, caring for them, not for myself.
Choosing to genuinely listen is a simple, but powerful way to honor the Golden Rule. Set aside distractions and give your friends your full attention. This is what we want when we have something we want to share with others. When we listen actively, we validate our friends’ experiences, make them feel seen and heard, and treat them exactly the way we want to be treated. Few of us really listen, so overcome with our social media, and our own self-centeredness, I have not to listen to others creates a lonely life.
?Finally be generous with encouragement, communicate openly and honestly, offer? help as the other requests without imposing our values upon them, show kindness in simple ways, and most importantly forgive, forgive, none of us are perfect, and forget, never hold a grudge. Most importantly prioritize quality time.
Treating others just the way you want to be treated—keep this idea at the forefront of your mind and you’ll be amazed by how often it changes the way you act. And you will be amazed at how well it improves your relationships. Keeping this in mind you can truly be “The Strong Person!” Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!
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Dr. River Damien Sims, sfw, D.Min., D.S.T.
Post Office Box 642656
San Francisco, CA 94164
415-305-2124
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Prayer of St. Brendan!
"Help me to journey beyond the familiar
and into the unknown.
Give me the faith to leave old ways and break fresh ground with You. Christ of the mysteries I trust in You to be stronger than each storm within me.
I will trust in the darkness and know that my times, even now, are in Your hands.
Tune my spirit to the music of heaven,
and somehow, make my obedience count for You"
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"The people I love the best jump into work head-first without dallying in the shallows and swim off with sure strokes almost out of sight. They seem to become natives of that element, the black sleek heads of seals bouncing like half-submerged balls.
- Marge Piercy, from “To Be of Use”