The All-Time Right Thing To Do
Bible Reading: Luke 6:27-35
Do for others as you would like them to do for you. Luke 6:31
Chang Ho’s life has just twisted into his scariest nightmare. The longer he twiddles the lock on his school locker, the more obvious his problem becomes: Every important scrap of knowledge has vanished from his brain, starting with his ultravital locker combination. In a flash he realizes the only thing he knows is that he no longer knows anything he needs to know, like what classes he has . . . what rooms they’re in . . . what time they start… who his teachers are… what assignments are due. And when he flees to the school office for help, the office assistants will tell him neither his combination nor his schedule if he can’t recall his name, which he can’t….
You might forget all sorts of facts. But here’s a totally right, most basic command you’ll want to remember: always love.
God’s command to love is one of his absolutes. That means it has no exceptions — even if we don’t like someone, even if someone is mean to us, even if we think someone’s breath smells.
Some people argue that there’s no way a command could apply to all people at all times in all places. But we can be sure that the command to love fits whatever situation we face. Have you ever noticed how mean people don’t like it when others blast them with the same meanness? They feel okay about ignoring others or starting rumors about people or calling them names. But if anyone does that stuff to them, they feel wronged. That’s how we know that anything less than love is wrong.
Think about yourself. You no doubt want loving treatment from people. And you no doubt feel bothered when you fail to receive the treatment you expect. When you help a friend with his homework, for example, you expect him to appreciate your help—and you feel disappointed, hurt, or frustrated when he doesn’t say thanks.
All people demand nothing less than to be loved. If you admit that you hope for loving treatment from others, then your job is to love others with the same love you expect for yourself.
Jesus said it right when he spoke the Golden Rule: Do for others as you would like them to do for you. That’s an easy way to remember God’s biggest rule-always love.
TALK: What’s the one command we can’t forget? How can we be sure that God’s command to love is always right?
PRAY: God, we know it’s important to love others as we want to be loved. Help us love as you love.
ACT: Ever given up loving certain people because you didn’t like them? Pick one person and start a new habit of loving that person today.