"In everything, do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets."(Matthew 7:12)
Everyone has heard of the "Golden Rule." Some variation of it can be found in every religion, every philosophical school.
I've heard it phrased in a cautionary way, "do not do to others what you would not want them to do to you." And while I don't disagree with that, I like to frame things in a positive, and also this seems to be a way of stopping bad behavior not promoting good behavior.
When I have to choose an action I try to keep in mind Jesus' take on this ethic of reciprocity. What will I do in that case. If the situation was mine to receive action from another, what would I hope that they would do? And then I try to go and do it!
It is also true that I don't see it as do unto others as they have done to you. That just feels like revenge if it is a negative, though I will concede that it is also trying to keep you from going overboard in your response. Of course if what occurs is positive, then it becomes almost a pay it forward moment.
But I still come back to treating others the way I want to be treated. There response to that, is out of my control.
Blessings,
Ed
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