Me First!

Matthew 7:12 “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.

A young seminary student felt like he had to have a Bible verse for all of his actions and decisions. It went well until he fell in love with a young female student. He wanted to kiss her, but he couldn’t find a verse to justify it. Every night he would walk her to her dorm room and just say, “Good night.”

Finally, he found a passage in Romans that stated we should greet each other with a holy kiss. It wasn’t perfect, but it would do. That night when he got to her door he gave her a sweet peck on the cheek.

The young lady grabbed him by the lapels and pulled him close and gave him a ten second kiss, right on the lips! They pulled away breathlessly, and the young man could only say, “Bible verse, Bible verse…”

As she was pulling him in for another smooch she said, “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you…”

I learned today’s verse as a Sunday School kid, but I don’t think it sunk in until much later in my life. What is often called The Golden Rule starts off with me. My actions set the tone. If I want to be respected, first I have to show respect. If I want people to speak to me kindly, first I have to speak to others kindly.

In other words, “Me first!” Think of some relationships you have that may be tense, difficult, or downright contentious and apply the “Me First” rule. It may not fix the relationship right away, but you have taken the correct first step.

Today’s Readings:  1 Samuel 23; Psalm 31,54, Matthew 7