generosity – watercress words by Dr Aletha

Exploring the Golden Rule from

the Sermon on the Mount

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 7:12 ESV

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 7:12 NIV

LIVING AND GIVING LAVISHLY-www.watercresswords.com- exploring the heart of health with faith, hope and love

What the late Reverend Billy Graham said about the Golden Rule, from his book

The Journey-How to Live by Faith in an Uncertain World

“How different our lives would be if we actually practiced this!

Instead of ignoring people or treating them harshly, we’d handle them with respect and kindness.

Instead of manipulating them for our own purposes, we’d help them achieve what is best for them.

We’d also try to see life through their eyes. Most of all, we’d point them to Christ, for the greatest gift we can offer anyone is His salvation.”

(from Chapter 21-When Others Disappoint)

Other books by Billy Graham (these are affiliate links used to help this blog share the HEART of health)

Life Wisdom: Quotes from Billy Graham

The Enduring Classics of Billy Graham

Understanding the Golden Rule from desiringGod.org

“The word so indicates that Jesus’s teaching is his conclusion from what he’s said previously. The entire Sermon on the Mount might be in view.

But it may be that Jesus is thinking more specifically of what he has just said, in Matthew 7:7–11.

‘Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!’

There he tells his followers that God is their loving Father and always gives good things to those who ask.

Therefore, because God is so generous to us, we’re to be lavishly generous to others.

The Golden Rule is glorious overflow.”

Read the rest of Stephen Witmer’s article at desiringGod to find out

Three Things Jesus Didn’t Say

Does this make you think differently about the Golden Rule, what it means, and how it plays out in your interactions with others?

Who has been “lavishly generous” to you?

Who have you helped to “achieve what is best for them”?

FAITH LOVE HOPE- words created with letter tiles — These three remain, faith, hope and love, and greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 graphic from LIGHTSTOCK.COM, affiliate

exploring the Golden Rule

Dr Aletha

In another post based on Matthew 7 I wrote

” She thought about a young man she knew whose life had gotten “sidetracked”, and suddenly realized her negative attitude toward him wasn’t helping. As she began thinking about him in a more positive way, she saw ways that his life could be turned around that she had not considered before. Her new attitude seemed to create an ability to see a new vision for his life that she hadn’t been able to before. “

continue reading at

5 unexpected rewards by ditching a critical spirit

Proverbs 28, New International Version

1 The wicked flee though no one pursues,

but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

4 Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked,

but those who heed it resist them.

5 Evildoers do not understand what is right,

but those who seek the Lord understand it fully.

8 Whoever increases wealth by taking interest or profit from the poor

amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor.

10 Whoever leads the upright along an evil path

will fall into their own trap,

but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.

12 When the righteous triumph, there is great elation;

but when the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding.

13 Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper,

but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

man with hands folded in prayer — 14 Blessed is the one who always trembles before God, but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble. photo from Lightstock

14 Blessed is the one who always trembles before God,

but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.

18 The one whose walk is blameless is kept safe,

but the one whose ways are perverse will fall into the pit.

25 The greedy stir up conflict,

but those who trust in the Lord will prosper.

26 Those who trust in themselves are fools,

but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.

27 Those who give to the poor will lack nothing,

but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.

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