What If the Golden Rule Isn’t Enough?
We all know the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Jesus expressed the principle this way: “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you” (Matthew 7:12 NLT).
But on the night before His crucifixion, He raised the standard for how we treat others: “Just as I have loved you, you should love each other” (John 13:34 NLT).
No longer were His followers to ask only, “How would I want to be treated?” Now they were to ask, “How has Jesus treated me?”
Just before Jesus gave the new command, He had washed His disciples’ feet, including the feet of Judas, who would betray Him within hours, and Peter, who would deny Him three times before morning (John 13:1–17). Foot washing was among the lowest tasks in a first-century household—grungy, humbling work normally left to the lowliest servants.
The New Standard
This kind of love that Jesus had shown them—and now expected of them—was self-giving, sacrificial love. It is love that honors others above self, putting aside self-interest to seek the good of another.
Paul wrote about this kind of love:
If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care—then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. (Philippians 2:1–4 MSG)
We can’t practice this kind of love alone. We can’t consider others more important than ourselves if we don’t live in relationship with them. We learn patience because someone tests it. We learn forgiveness because someone wounds us. We learn humility because someone else is chosen, noticed, or celebrated. We learn service because another becomes tired, burdened, or lost.
The Love That Identifies Us
It is this love, Jesus said, that will identify us as His followers: “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:35 NLT). He did not say the world would recognize us primarily by our biblical knowledge, our religious language, our worship style, or the number of miles we had traveled for Him. The clearest evidence that we belong to Him is the way we love the people around us.
We are becoming a people whose life together shows the world who God is and what His perfect love looks like in the lives of those who follow Jesus.
Here’s what you’ll receive in this toolkit:
