The Golden Rule.  We all know it.  How many of you remember a poster of it in your elementary school?  How many of us have said it to others, or taught it to our children?

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

We can find it in Luke 6:31, Do to others as you would have them do to you, and we can find it alluded to in other passages, both Old and New Testaments.

But did you know that the Golden Rule is not a specific Judeo/Christian concept?  A similar teaching is found in nearly every world religion including Native American religions, indigenous religions, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Islam and more.  Here is a short example:

Buddhism Do not offend others as you would not want to be offended.

Islam None of you are true believers until you love for your brother what you love for yourself.

Confucianism Tzu-kung asked, “Is there one word which can serve as the guiding principle for conduct throughout life?” Confucius said, “It is the word altruism. Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you.”

Sikhism I am a stranger to no one; and no one is a stranger to me. Indeed, I am a friend to all.

Taoism Regard your neighbor’s gain as your own gain and your neighbor’s loss as your own loss.

Jainism One should treat all creatures in the world as one would like to be treated.

Aboriginal Spirituality Chief Dan George We are much alive as we keep the Earth alive.

When you stop to consider nearly every world religion has this same philosophy, it must be a universal truth (and I believe that God is responsible for this truth for a reason).

We are a week away from the general election in the most tumultuous political years ever with a lot of anger (on both sides).  So, I challenge each of us.  During this last week of politicking as we prepare to go to the polls, practice the Golden Rule.  No matter who your neighbor, friend or family member is voting for, practice the Golden Rule.  And after the election, practice the Golden Rule.  Afterall, you would want someone to practice the Golden Rule with you, right?

Peace,

Pastor Bill

Examples from:  https://medium.com/@leoserafico/the-golden-rule-of-different-religions-and-philosophies-1b58b8b55f80#:~:text=%20The%20Golden%20Rule%20of%20Different%20Religions%20and,what%20you%20love%20for%20yourself.%20%20More%20

The Book of Psalm is one of the most incredible books in the bible.  It is not a book of church doctrine, or even theology.  Some of the Psalms are poetic thoughts, some are prayers, some are songs of praise, some are lamentations.  And some are all of these things.

The Psalms (and this is probably their most important value) give us permission to lament, to walk in our grief and pain, and to shed a tear at the events of our lives.  The Psalms can easily become our prayers.

Today, Psalm 6 seems to resonate with me:

Psalm 6:1-6

¹ Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger  or discipline me in your wrath.
² Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint; heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.
³ My soul is in deep anguish. How long, Lord, how long?

⁴ Turn, Lord, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love.
⁵ Among the dead no one proclaims your name. Who praises you from the grave?

⁶ I am worn out from my groaning. All night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears.

Now it is important to know that most of these Psalms of Lament end in continuing praise of God – but it is also important to know that if you are not there yet, God gives you the opportunity to feel your sorrow.  Just know that the Lord hears your cries, the Lord knows your pain.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

Luke 15:22-25

One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So, they put out, ²³and while they were sailing he fell asleep. A windstorm swept down on the lake, and the boat was filling with water, and they were in danger. They went to him and woke him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And he woke up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves; they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, “Where is your faith?” They were afraid and amazed, and said to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?”

Yesterday I said, “how can it be October 11^th already?” Someone answered, “because it’s 2020.”  I don’t know about you, but I am tired.  This year has been exhausting.  Yet, on the other hand, I wake up early most every day.  Today my wife and I both work up an hour earlier than the alarm.  It seems there is always so much to do.  Last week we all took a day off together – and are now paying for it as we are completely behind. 

Add the stress of the ongoing pandemic, the political situation, the racial tensions, the economic crisis and you know the rest – you are living it as well. 

Jesus was tired too.  And Jesus did the right thing – he took a nap.  In the middle of a storm, Jesus takes a nap because he was tired.  When the disciples get “a little anxious” (actually, as some of them are experienced fishermen, the storm must have been pretty bad) they wake Jesus.  And Jesus does that typical Jesus-y thing – he stops the storm.

Perhaps sometime this week, during whatever storm you are going through, you should stop and take a nap.  Then let Jesus do His thing.

Peace,

Pastor Bill

The post was on our neighborhood Facebook page, but I really did not need to read the post.  I could tell by simply walking outside and breathing.  Skunk.

It happens a lot in our neighborhood, we have skunks living in the woods and they often come up towards the houses.  We also have lots of dogs.  Put them together and you have days and nights of the pungent aroma. 

As I breathed it in, I pondered a bit.  What is the reason and purpose for a skunk?

It reminded me of a hike we did on vacation.  We were hiking at Hawk Mountain, going over a very rocky and difficult part of a trail.  My wife was about to put her foot into a crevice when she saw the rattlesnake.  The 4-6-foot rattle snake.  And it was heading towards our daughter.  Without thinking, I leaped over the rocks and got to her.  What is the reason and purpose for a rattlesnake?

When I think of certain creatures (for me it is rats), I wonder why they exist?  But then something comes to mind. 

²⁴ And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. ²⁵ God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.  Genesis 1:24-25

God saw that it was good.  God’s creation is good and beautiful and God’ has a reason and purpose for the creation of all, including skunks and rattlesnakes. 

Thanks be to God for a beautiful creation.

Peace,

Pastor Bill