Matthew 7:12Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
This passage of scripture plainly states that however we desire to be treated by others, we ourselves should treat them the same, a principle that is often referred to as the golden rule, and for good reason. Our expectations of others must be commensurate with how we treat them, for according to the passage, whatsoever goes around, will come around, and in many cases, our present experiences are just a repeat of what we may have done previously, in our interactions with our fellow men.
For instance, if we are in the habit of writing bounced checks whenever our bills come due, we should also expect that others will write us bounced checks, whenever we do work for them, but if on the contrary, we develop the habit of paying our obligations in a timely manner, we also will receive like treatment. The word of God is much more practical, both in content and in practice than many Christians realize, and it is because of this lack of understanding on our part, why many of us harbor unrealistic expectations.
In addition to this, the methods and the principles of the secular world are in most cases opposed to the laws and statutes of God, and whenever we surrender the divine principles in favor of man's methods, we run the risk of exposing ourselves to unnecessary difficulty and hardship that could have otherwise been avoided.
For example, in the business world, the acceptable method of remuneration for services or work rendered is thirty days, and with some businesses and corporations, this time is extended to forty five days or even two months in some instances. Then again on a personal level , many stores, in order to lure buyers who do not presently have the ability to pay, offer their goods or merchandise with no down-payment, and with a deferred payment plan, which only requires the buyer to start payments after several years have elapsed. And thus, the materials that are purchased are permitted to go through a period of depreciation, during which time they are used, and abused in some cases.
Then, with each passing day of use, it often becomes problematic to pay for something that has lessened in value significantly. The principles set forth in the scriptures however, teach us as Christians, that whenever and wherever possible, we should pay promptly for goods and services rendered, even though the secular world may offer us additional time to pay. This is particularly true of those we may have in our employ, for the scriptures state that those who work for Christians should have their wages remitted in a timely manner, for if we expect the same treatment by others, we should also be willing to do the same.
In other words, the Christian should make provision for his or her worker's wages from funds that are already set aside for this purpose, so that we can avoid the mad rush to collect from debtors, to then pay those who are in our employ. It all has to do with living by the golden rule, for when our wages come due, we do not expect our employers to make excuses, as if they had not previously catered for the work that was rendered. God has already advised us in such matters, so that we need not walk or stumble in darkness. Let's read:
Leviticus 19:11Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another. 12 And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord. 13 Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning. 15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.
James 2:8If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: 9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin".... 10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
Let us then seek to incorporate the practice of the golden rule in all of our interactions with others, for this goes a long way in presenting the gospel in real time, to those who are not acquainted with Christ and His righteousness. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which encourages us to run the Christian race with a steady and even tread, for God has promised to grant us His enabling power to institute both practice and reforms wherever necessary. Let's read:
Psalm 15:1Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? 2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. 3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. 4"He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. 5"He that doeth these things shall never be moved.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!