In the weeks to come, we'll be exploring a series of ethical principles from the Book of Proverbs in the Holy Bible. Whether or not you believe the Bible is God's Word, or whether or not you consider yourself a spiritual person, these Biblical principles work for you as they have worked for others for centuries.
There are two requirements, however, for these principles to work in our lives. First, we must decide to believe they will work. More than mental assent, we must believe these principles in our hearts. Second, we must apply these principles to bless others, not ourselves. A Biblical principle many call the "Golden Rule" works to cause others to treat us they way we treat them. "What we sow, we reap." In applying Biblical principles to bless others, we can create a huge tidal wave of blessings for ourselves and our families.
I observed the Golden Rule at work through an old friend years ago; his name is Steve. Steve is the person we often talk about that would "give you the shirt off his back." Steve managed rental properties for me after his layoff from a steel mill. Anything I needed done, anytime night or day, Steve would do. Steve went the extra mile for all his friends and family. If someone needed money, he was there to help even though he didn't have much himself. Steve served others with his time and his money every day we were together. He started a small residential repair business in the 1980s. From the beginning of this business, Steve and his crew have always had work, even when others didn't! Steve planted seeds that brought him an abundance of friends and life fulfillment. What Steve gave to others, he is still getting back!
The Biblical principle of sowing and reaping, like many life principles in the Book of Proverbs, is a natural law that always works. If one sows good behaviors, he/she gets a good return on investments in others. Join us in the weeks to come as we explore "ethical principles that work!"
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