Most of us are familiar with the “golden rule”. In Luke 6:31 Jesus says, ”And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.” You also find the golden rule in slightly different wording in several places in the New Testament. In Luke 16 in response to the question, “who is my neighbor?” (verse 29), Jesus uses the parable of the good Samaritan to illustrate the point that we should love our neighbor as ourselves. In Matthew 7:12 Jesus said, “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” The point Jesus makes is that if we treat others as we wish to be treated, we will fulfill the commandments given in scripture which tell us how we should treat others. The apostle Paul expands on this in Romans 13:8-10, “Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ’You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘You shall not covet,’ and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” The bible tells us what we should do, how we should treat others; but what happens if we don’t treat others the way we want to be treated? In Luke 6:35-38 we read, “But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. ‘Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.’” The last part of that passage is especially noteworthy. If we are not treating others properly, then God will take our own unjust standard and use it against us. “Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.” (Matthew 5:7). ““For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:14-15). “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.” (Matthew 7:1-2).