First person: How would I respond if what I did to another was done to me?

We are moving quickly toward Easter — it’s April 5 this year. As we prepare our hearts to observe Resurrection Sunday and the days of Holy Week leading up to Easter, would you be open to a bit of Lenten-type fasting this year?

I’m not thinking fasting from food. Instead, let’s all agree to check our hearts and fast from any ugliness we discover related to how we think about or reference other people — no matter who they are or what they’ve done or not done.

It’s simple:

1. Humbly and genuinely pray for the Lord to show you where you are not treating others in the way He has modeled for us.

2. Confess those shortcomings to the Lord and ask Him to help you move toward demonstrating His love and grace even when the other person has differing opinions, life circumstances, decision-making skills and an overall understanding of life and the world.

3. Be intentional between now and Easter to check yourself before using subjective labels, especially when they are meant as an attack or negative description of others.

Then, as you sit in church Easter morning worshipping our Lord, remembering His sacrifice and celebrating His resurrection, reflect on your personal walk with the Lord.

What did He show you about Himself? What did He surface for you about you?

How did removing any potential ugliness toward others change you? Were you able to discover that we can still have differing opinions, disagree at the most extreme levels and even not like someone while still choosing to treat each other respectfully and with grace?

We can still work to protect the values we prefer, help educate those who don’t understand and engage the community in powerful and effective ways. And we can do it all with courage, confidence and charisma.

Have you ever wondered why we as believers in and followers of Jesus Christ can sometimes become emotionally reactive and super sensitive to those who disagree with us?

I understand all of us are sinners with only one answer for true life — Jesus — but I often wonder why we allow ourselves to become fearful of the world if we truly belong to the Ultimate answer, defender and guide.

Why would we not want to be the model for all that is right and good in this world — not only to recapture a spirit of unity but also to move the Kingdom forward? How could we be OK doing to others that which we would be sorely offended if it were done to us?

The Golden Rule

Matthew 7:12 states, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.”

Ephesians 5:11–16 says, “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible — and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said: ‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’ Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”

Isaiah 5:20 states, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.”

First Corinthians 13 describes what love is and isn’t — and it’s meant for all aspects of life, not merely for wedding ceremonies. Verses 5 and 6 note, “[Love] does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.”