Relationships - Part III

Luke 6:31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

In the business of relationships, there are few more important lessons to be applied than this one principle. We often think of it in terms of how we should treat our friends, but in fact we should apply it to how we treat our enemies and strangers as well. In some cases, this type of behavior actually wins over enemies and turn them into friends.

Treating others as we would have them treat us does not just mean that we ought to be polite and "nice". This concept is far reaching in the world. When someone is hungry, we the Church should be the ones to feed them. When the world is thirsty, we should provide them with the water they need. When someone is hurting, to treat them as we would like to be treated is to help them through their suffering.

Our influence on the world often depends on the image of Christ that we portray. If we don't even care about those in need, how can the world view the Church as a viable solution to their problems? Will they seek out Jesus if His people don't treat them well?