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“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” – Ephesians 4:31-32Mankind is inherently sinful. We all know this from our youth and having been taught as children, from our parents and Sunday School teachers. We are also taught the Golden Rule; can everyone say it with me: “Treat others as you would like to be treated.” It’s pretty basic when you really come down to it. There is very little wiggle room and when it is followed, most people can generally get along. Yet, there is something inside of us that at times, bubbles up and comes forth with wickedness and hatred for another, and we allow it to overcome our better judgment to treat others as you would like to be treated. When my son started Kindergarten, the principle pulled the entire student body together on the first day of school and laid out this same guidelines for the students to abide in; he also added to it the Thumper Rule. You all remember Thumper right? He was the cute little bunny on Bambi, who pretty much said whatever was on his mind without considering the consequences or the impact to another person’s feelings. The Thumper Rule goes like this: “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”
Put these two rules together and you have a basic formula for co-existence in this life. Treat others with kindness, generosity, love and forgiveness. Keep your words in check and don’t slander others behind their back or in front of them. This life is difficult and we are all pressing hard to make it through each day. When we treat others with disrespect, callousness and resentment it only serves to create more animosity and strife in the relationship. I personally believe we are here on this earth to help one another, to demonstrate love, hospitality and forgiveness to others as we all try to make it through each day. Words, actions and anger do nothing but fuel the separation of individuals from this purpose in life. In turn this creates bitterness and unforgiveness to fester and we fall farther and farther from the representation of God’s love to each other.
This life is not about today, or tomorrow. It is about the whole and the opportunity to share His gospel with others, through the way we represent His love and peace in our daily walk. It’s about leaving a legacy of truthfulness, integrity, love, humility and generosity for those who will carry on after we are long gone. Hope for something better than what we have today is what binds us together as a human race, all striving for peaceful co-existence. Without hope, we have no love, we have no future and we have no reason for following the Golden Rule or the Thumper Rule. For without hope for a better tomorrow; who cares who you might offend, anger or step on today. Living life in love, peace and pursuit of happiness for you and those around you will inspire you to continue down this path of hope for a better future together as mankind. I hope you are able to consider the big picture of life in your day to day activities and forgive those who have wronged you and ask forgiveness of those you have wronged. Don’t make this life any more difficult than it already is, and strive to help others simplify and improve upon their life as much as you can.
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