Do Unto Others

Luke 6:31 says, “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” I’ve always heard this verse used when someone was exhorting another person to treat others more kindly. Recently though, I had opportunity to see this verse put into practice from a different angle.

A colleague of mine was having a bad day. As is my usual custom, I was telling her how incredibly amazing my kids are. I told her that I was going to contact some of them and ask them to text her some words of encouragement. Over the next hour or so, she would seek me out to share the latest text message. Her day was brightened. She became puzzled however, at the motivation of the kids. Only Corey and Crystal had the opportunity to work with her in high school. I told her that their motivation was probably due partly because they hoped that when I was having a rough day someone would extend to me the same kind of kindness. To stretch the verse a bit; the kids did to others as they hoped someone would do to me.
I also learned that even though kindness doesn’t always get returned, you should be kind anyway. Over the past month or so, I have tried to be a source of encouragement to another person. I’ve shared Bible verses, prayer, and words of encouragement. On a recent rough day, I reached out and asked for encouragement from them, but got nothing in return. I have to admit that I was disappointed by their response or lack thereof. I still need to be that encouraging word to them. I need to “do to them, even if they don’t do unto me.”