PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Matthew 7

What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?

“Do to others what you would have them do to you,
for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12)
‘Never judge a person until you walk a mile in his Moccasins.’
This American Indian proverb is a warning about judging others.
Empathy is to understand and share the feelings of another person.
The word itself is a combination of ‘in’ and ‘suffer’.
Jesus does not just observe our misery, he suffers in it.
In this chapter about judging, he brings up the golden rule.
It is a variation on the moccasin proverbs: imagine if it was you.
To love others as yourself (Matthew 22:39) is another variation.
This is what love does, this is what the Law insists on.
If you treat people like you want to be treated, you keep the law.
If you love people like this, you will not harm them (Romans 13:8-10).
The Law can be summed up this way; all laws hang on this!
Even more, the Gospel is summed up this way: God loves us like this!
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, your love is the most golden good news of all. Change my heart by your love, so that I can empathize with others instead of judging them.