Jesus welcomed the people, taught them about the Kingdom of God and healed those in need. Luke 9:11

Seeds of the Kingdom

The Key To Living a Godly Life

by Lindsey Hanekom

Do to others as you would like them to do to you.
Luke 6:31,NIV

On experiencing a very challenging phase with my two children, who seem to have taken childhood squabbling to a whole new level, I`ve been reminded of this scripture, as I seem to be implementing the heart of it on a highly frequent basis!

I often find myself saying to Kyle, “How would you feel if I said that to you?” Or “How do you think Zoe feels when you snatch a toy from her... do you like it when Zoe snatches from you?” And to Zoe, “That made Kyle sad. Do you like feeling sad?”

I`m sure every parent reading this knows what I`m talking about and such words echo around houses the world over. Whether we realise it or not, we`re expressing a scripture that sums up all the commandments, and is a fundamental key for living a godly life.

`Do to others as you would like them to do to you` is such a simple phrase. It`s uncomplicated, clear and concise. So much so, that every parent I know uses the concept to bring direction and guidance for their children, starting at a very young age.

As I consider this, I must ask myself that difficult question, “Do I truly live by this scripture in my own life or have I lost sight of this simple truth?” I know that I can easily find myself fighting for my rights, wants or needs; sometimes to the detriment of my family or friends. And I suspect I`m not the only person who does this!

This godly challenge has niggled away at my heart for a while, and I considered why it`s so difficult to live life this way. The simple truth is this: because very few people do it, we ask ourselves, “Why should I be the only one who puts others first?” “Even if I do live like this, nobody else will put me first.” “I have needs and wants too ... who is to say their needs are more important than mine?” “They don`t treat me like that, so why should I treat them any better?” And so the excuses go on.

This scripture is found in the midst of the `Loving your enemies` part of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus was starting from a place of no excuses ... even treat your enemies like this.

I can`t help but think that, if everyone in the world lived by this simple sentence, the world would be an amazingly different place! By simply asking ourselves, “What would I like them to say or do for me in this situation?” we know that our response would be right and godly. It would be a blessing to others and would bring blessing into our own lives. For me, as a mum, I know that it would certainly bring peace!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I admit I make many excuses not to live my life by this simple scripture, yet I expect others to treat me how I want to be treated. Help me to get my part right so I can experience the peace and blessing of living a godly life. Amen.

Lindsey Hanekom Lindsey has worked at all of our UK centres over the years and has settled at Ellel Scotland with her husband, Johann and their two young children, Kyle and Zoe. As part of the Leadership Team at Ellel Scotland, Lindsey has a heart for the deeply broken as she oversees the prayer ministry and is an established and passionate teacher with Ellel. In her spare time, Lindsey enjoys the natural world, particularly the ocean, and is trained as a specialist medic to assist stranded and injured marine mammals.

 

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