DO UNTO OTHERS

THE WORDS, "DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU" ARE VERY COMMON.  WHILE SOME WORDS AND PHRASES ARE COMMON TO ONLY CERTAIN PEOPLE, THESE WORDS ARE SOMEWHAT UNIVERSAL.  THIS SCRIPTURE IS FOUND IN MATTHEW 7:12 AND HAS BEEN ON MY HEART AND IN MY THOUGHTS TODAY.  IT IS NO WONDER THAT THIS IS CALLED "THE GOLDEN RULE."  I THINK THE WORLD WOULD BE A MUCH BETTER PLACE FOR ALL OF US IF WE ONLY KEPT THESE WORDS IN THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MINDS AT ALL TIMES.  WHEN I THINK OF THIS SCRIPTURE, I THINK OF "RESPECT", SOMETHING WE ALL NEED TO PRACTICE IN ORDER TO BE MORE LIKE JESUS IN OUR DAILY LIVES.

WE HAVE ALL HEARD IT SAID THAT ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS.  WHEN I THINK BACK ON THE PAST, I AM TRULY ASHAMED OF THE WAY MY ACTIONS SPOKE.  I WAS IN NO WAY A ROLE MODEL FOR ANYONE.  IT IS ONLY THROUGH THE GRACE OF GOD THAT MY CHILDREN SHOW ME THE RESPECT THAT THEY DO TODAY.  IN THE PAST, I LIED TO MANY PEOPLE, WHICH LED TO A LACK OF RESPECT TOWARDS ME.  I WAS OPENLY CRITICAL OF OTHERS AND I RECEVIED THE SAME IN RETURN.  I WASNT VERY RESPECTFUL OF MYSELF, SO WHY SHOULD ANYONE ELSE RESPECT ME EITHER.  BY BAD MOUTHING OTHERS AND TALKING BEHIND THEIR BACK, I ENCOURAGED THE SAME WHEN IT CAME TO ME.  I COULD ENDLESSLY DESCRIBE THE WAYS I IGNORED "THE GOLDEN RULE."  I WAS ONE OF THE WORST OF THE WORST AND DIDNT CARE HOWANYONE ELSE HAPPENED TO FEEL.  IT WAS ALL ABOUT ME!!!!

IT WASNT UNTIL I LEARNED TO RESPECT MYSELF THAT I COULD EVEN THINK ABOUT GAINING THE RESPECT OF OTHERS!!!!!!

THROUGH THE FORGIVENESS, THE GRACE, THE MERCY AND THE LOVE OF GOD, I HAVE FINALLY LEARNED THE LESSON OF "THE GOLDEN RULE."  I HAVE LEARNED THAT RESPECT IS NOT GIVEN, ITS EARNED!  IF I WANT RESPECT, I FIRST HAVE TO GIVE IT.  RESPECT IS NOT A ONE WAY STREET.  THE GEIKO MAN SAYS, "IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO," BUT THE GOOD LORD SAYS, "LOVE ONE ANOTHER WITH BROTHERLY AFFECTION."  MY LIFE IS SO MUCH DIFFERENT THESE DAYS.  I CAN FINALLY WALK WITH MY HEAD HELD HIGH AND NOT BE ASHAMED OF MYSELF FOR THE WAY I TREAT OTHERS.  I HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT I AM A CHILD OF GOD, THAT I AM A JEWEL IN HIS CROWN AND I AM WORTHY OF LOVE AND RESPECT.  AND THIS IS HOW I TREAT OTHERS TODAY.  RESPECT IS A TWO WAY STREET.

WE SHOULD ALL ATTEMPT TO SEE OURSELVES AND OTHERS THROUGH THE EYES OF GOD.   WE ARE ALL WORTHY OF RESPECT.   BUT, WE MUST FIRST GIVE BEFORE WE CAN RECEIVE.........