Follow the Golden Rule

Greetings:
We can learn a lot by simply following the advice given in the Gospels of  Matthew and Luke under what has come to be known as the Golden Rule.
Look at Matthew 7:12 (NIV), it reads: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Luke 6:31 (Amplified Bible) reads:  “And as you would like and desire that men would do to you, do exactly so to them.”
What would we want our brothers and sisters in Christ to do if we were so sick that we could not work for 2-3 months and had no income?
Would we want them to help financially, stop by to visit, help us with my chores, and otherwise show concern for us?
We should react in the same way when announcements are made about those who are sick in our  congregation and our community.
That's the time to pray and act.
You know Jesus didn't just utter words of direction simply to be saying them. He expects action, when the need arises. He expects our words to become deeds.
As a journalist, I am faced daily with tough decisions on what to write and what not to write.
If you've done it, you know it's a challenge at times – as I am sure most jobs are.
Nearly 10 years ago in January 2003, I sat down and wrote the following prayer to help guide my actions as a reporter and editor. It's sort of a personal code of ethics that I try to follow.
Do I score perfect in my pursuit for fairness? Probably not, but that's the goal.
As a reminder, I have a framed copy of this prayer sitting near my desk at work and at home.
The prayer reads:
“Lord, help my words today to be filled with fairness, accuracy and compassion.
Help my words to be thought-provoking, creative, in good taste, educational, filled with truth and objectivity.
Please help me write about others as I wold have others write about me.
Let wisdom prevail in all that I say, write, think and do.
Let me be mindful and thankful for the daily responsibility I possess in this job.
Let me not forget to put a smile on somebody's face by what I write, say or do.
Please help me to be a better person today than I was yesterday,
Amen.”
Tackle your day today with the Golden Rule in mind and let your actions portray the words of Jesus when he said, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you,”

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