Tuesday, February 03, 2015

A Rule to Live By

Everywhere we go there are rules.  We have rules at home, we have rules at school, even adults have to follow the rules where they work.  You must learn to follow the rules if you want to get along in this world.   I found a list of rules called "Golden Rules for Living."  I don't know who wrote these, but they make a lot of sense.

• If you open it—close it
• If you turn it on—turn it off.
• If you unlock it—lock it.
• If you move it—put it back.
• If it belongs to someone else—get permission to use it
• If you borrow it— return it.
• If you don't know how to operate it—leave it alone.
• If you use it—take care of it.
• If you break it—fix it.
• If you can't fix it—call someone who can.
• If you make a mess—clean it up.
• If it's none of your business—don't ask questions.

Those are pretty good rules, aren't they?  If all of us would follow those rules, the world would be a better place.  Living by a set of rules isn't anything new.  Even Jesus knew the importance of rules.  

One day Jesus was talking to his disciples.  He knew that the day was coming when he would return to heaven, and he was trying to prepare his disciples for the day when he would no longer be with them. He wanted to leave them with something that would help them to live in such a way that other people would see them and know that they were his disciples.

"I will be with you only a little while longer," Jesus said.  "Then you will look for me, but you won't find me because you cannot go where I am going.  I give you a new commandment.  You must love each other just as I have loved you.  If you love each other, everyone will know that you are my disciples."

Would you like for people to look at the way you live and know that you are a follower of Jesus?  Well, then obey his command, "Love one another as I have loved you."