Back to Matthew’s gospel, I was struck when I read one of the best-known sayings of Jesus:

Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7.12, NKJV)

The real “Golden Rule” – not, “he who has the gold makes the rules” – but a piece of wisdom it’s hard to see how we’ve missed. Missed?

• Were whites treating blacks the way they would want to be treated?
• When I was short with a store clerk the other day for something over which he had no control, is that the way I would want to be treated?
• Is Putin treating Ukraine the way he would want people to treat Russia?
• And here’s an interesting question: if someone were invading our country, would we expect an ally who had the means to stop them to act? Is the US supporting Ukraine the way we would want to be supported?

I don’t know the answer to the last question, and I’m well aware that principles that apply to individuals don’t always apply to nations, but still…

You shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD. (Leviticus 19.18, NKJV)

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And [Jesus] said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22.36 – 40, ESV)