Living in Day

Not sure if you've noticed, but we live in a you-owe-me and take-what-is-mine society. My Mama summed it up like this: "My name's little Jimmie and I take all you gimme." Last night, my Pastor taught us from Jesus' words: "In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 7:12). Many of us, as children, learned this as "The Golden Rule." Is this even taught anymore? Although holy living is certainly present [and good] in the Christian's life, Jesus isn't teaching morality in this verse. No, rather, He is referring [back] to things He put forth in the first eleven verses of the chapter: make brotherly love your standard for living. The very concept of extending love to others opposes an attitude focused on me-myself-I. And, so goes "The Golden Rule." Romans 13:8 reveals what is truly owed: "Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law." Can you even imagine how improved our society would be when each human being paid up his-her true debt: love one another. Let us find the Joy of Christ Jesus paying our debt to others.  Live in debt!