“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 7:12)

This has been called the Golden Rule. It is golden because it is so valuable, its governing Principle a gem in our lives to be treasured and obeyed. This precious instruction seems to me to be at the heart of all the good that comes in the world and disobedience to it constitutes all the discord that appears between individuals and nations. If we weigh every action against this ideal, we will be forces for good in the world and will benefit ourselves as well.

Jesus shared this pure idea in his Sermon on the Mount. In this sermon he also reminds us that to think evil, to judge another as less than our equal–a fellow child of God–is inadmissible and has no place in Christian living and healing. This radiant rule includes not only our actions, but also our thoughts. If we think less of another, and then put on an act with them, this is hypocrisy and lacks the genuine goodness that Jesus is punctuating in his teaching. Would we ourselves want to have someone treat us well and speak ill of us behind our backs? Would we not feel the dishonesty from them? Likewise, thinking less of another is beneath our own goodness, and it will never give us the freedom and peace of mind that really suits us and satisfies us.

This is not a difficult task. The golden rule was meant to be natural to us. Why? Because love is natural to us. We are built of divine Love’s intentions and when we receive eagerly that wonderful love of God, we can’t help but feel the need to share it in all its qualities—understanding, respect, kindness, mercy, receptivity, trust.

Utilize this Golden Rule in your own life and pray to know that this vital ideal is the world’s to claim as well. The hatred and competition and envy that seem to drive the actions of people and nations and to tarnish this golden harmony, can be washed away. Divine Love can do it and we can be a part of an earth that knows heavenly peace.

This is today’s e-inspire. These messages are based on passages from the Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy. These books are our “pastor” in Christian Science. Come back every Tuesday and Thursday for fresh inspiration. Or get a free subscription to receive an inspirational message like this one every morning directly to your inbox by contacting me at lamolitercs@aol.com. A downloadable compilation of categorized messages is also available by request.