"Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." [Matthew 7:12]

This is the last law of the Kingdom of Heavens that many call the Golden Law. The laws always are based on the fact that we should love others as the Lord loved all of us. This is the essence of the Christian life. The tenth law is in fact the summary of the previous nine laws. It meant that we should love the others as strong, as God’s love to us. This is not just a simple love, but surely it was so strong that He sacrificed Himself for the others, not just by talks but truly through deeds. He wants us to love with the true Christian behavior.

God’s sermon was summarized to us in the three chapters of the Sermon of the Mount. This is in a way similar to the teacher summarizing to his pupils the lesson on the eve of the exam. The Tenth Law thus became a summary to all the previous laws and became known as the "Golden Law".

We believe in God’s strong love to us. He created man like His figure and alike. All people were created like Him, so if we look like Him, we should like those whom He created as an extension to His Kingdom. So if we love God whom we didn’t see, then logically we should like the people whom we see. "… For he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen." [1 John 4:20]

The law has been mentioned in many chapters in the Bible. Those who loves others have followed and abided with His laws.

These according to the Lord Christ, are "The Laws and Prophets". So who follows these rules, has succeeded by rejecting selfishness, hate, revenge and other sins.

St. Augustinos explained what people do:

When a man behave wrongly with others, it is a satanic act.

If man does to others what they did for him is a pagan action. [Eye of an eye]

But if man does with people what he likes the others do to him, then it is a Christian behavior.

If man behaves better with others more than the good they did for him, then it is a Divine act.

Those who behave and follow the Divine example become the true children of God.

Let us question ourselves, who is my neighbor? Simply he is everyone that we meet everyday. This is how The Lord when He was asked this particular question, He replied by the parable of the Good Samaritan, the one who was ambushed by the thieves on his way from Jerusalem to Jericho. [Luke 10:25-36]

The victim was a neighbor to a priest and a Leviticus. But the Good Samaritan felt that if he was the one who was attacked by the thieves, we would have hoped for someone who would take him to a hospital to take care of his injuries. That what the Good Samaritan did. He cleaned and covered his wounds, carried him over his donkey while he walked on his feet beside him. He went to an inn to care for him till his wounds heal and promising to pay for all the services rendered. He did that because he considered him as a brother.

So who is my neighbor? He is anyone whom I can help. In other words, they are all the people whom we deal with in our daily life.

Our neighbors could be:

1. The people we have ties, either they would be relatives or friends. The essence that we need to love them as we love ourselves. We have also to show them our love and treat them as we like them to treat us.

You may say this is very easy to do. Is that true? Do you make them angry occasionally? And if you do you, would you accept the same from them? If you resent their anger towards you, then you are not treating the same.

Story:

A simple farmer used to send three quarters of what he made to his son in Cairo. The son was studying Mathematics at the university there and was living on campus. After graduation he got a nice job as a teacher in a secondary school. His salary beside what he was receiving from private lessons was a nice income. He forgot completely about his family and even he got married from a wealthy family, but never told his parents. He thought his poor parents might bring shame on him because of their poverty.

Year’s later the father went to Cairo to search for his son. He found where he worked and got his residency address from the school’s secretary. When he rang the bell of the apartment of his son, the son was astonished and became fearful that his wife would find out the truth. He asked his father why he came and expressed frankly his fears and demanded that he should never do it again in the future. The father calmed him down and assured him that his visit was just only to find that he was fine and promised not to do it again. The son asked him to go to the back door and admitted him to the kitchen. There he found his grandson with whom he chatted. This grandson heard what his father talking about with his grandfather and figured out what was going on. When his dad told his father not to come anymore and promised to visit his family in the village. The unhappy grandson told his father that in the future when he grows up he would do the same with him!

Natural love may not be enough in this Golden Law, even for the most beloved. If you have to follow this law, we need the love that comes from God.

2. Even in our own homes, we have to treat those who serve us like ourselves. Show them the love you want them to show towards you.

At work, if the boss shows the co-workers his love, they would be more sincere and honest in their work.

The same is true and applies on the workers toward their boss.

If we follow this law, we ill notice a difference at work and at home. If others don’t use it we ourselves must use it.

"Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh." [1 Peter 2:18]

Thus we have to treat all with love whether they are the masters or the servants.

Story:

Mr. Mikhail was a decent Christian person who used to work at the Giza Police Station. On Sundays before going to work he attended the First Holy Liturgy at St. George Church in Giza. As a Christian he was entitled to go to work at 10:00 AM so he can attend the church. On one particular Sunday an inspector arrived to his place of duty much earlier than the time he was supposed to begin his duty. Someone went to the church to tell him that an inspector was waiting for him. He chose to stay till the end of the early service but still he arrived 15 minutes before 10:00 AM.

When he entered the office he made the sign of the Cross as he usually does whenever he goes through any door. The chief of the station saw him and told him what a crazy thing he was doing. He also told him he was anticipating hearing from him that he was with St. George, in a mockery way. Mr. Mikhail replied that he accepted to be treated in a fair-game way but he didn’t accept mocking with his reverent saints. Then he went to meet the inspector and this cession went very smooth with him.

The same day the chief arrived late to his home about midnight and while he was changing his clothes preparing to go to sleep, he suddenly saw St. George with a spear in his hand in front of him. St. George told him not to harass his man or he would die. The chief was terrified. He asked his son to go to bring Mr. Mikhail from his home at this late hour of the night.

Mr. Mikhail got up as ordered and went to see the chief who accused him of putting a curse on him. Mr. Mikhail replied calmly that he follows God’s teaching and he never curses anybody but rather asks for a blessing to him or her. He reminded him that all what he said was, "don’t mock at the saints". When the chief heard this, he told him, that he didn’t know that St. George was his friend. Mr. Mikhail stood up and prayed asking for God’s forgiveness. The chief thanked Mr. Mikhail and he gave him the permission to attend the second Liturgy also on Sundays.

Mr. Mikhail later was ordained a priest with the name of Fr. Mikhail Ibrahim. He was a unique personality in spirituality and because the father of confession to many including myself. H. H. Pope Shenouda III also took him as his father of confession.

When he died he was buried at the Cathedral with the patriarchs in a tomb next to that of the late Bishop Samuel. He was a great person who loved God sincerely before and after his ordination.

3. Our neighbors are also our visitors including those who came for help.

We should meet them happily and to show them the interest in hearing their problems, as if these were ours. If we personally need help, we hate to hear no answer from others. So help those who ask for that help.

If we have to obey the "Law of Love" then we have to qualify ourselves too much higher standards than the usual. He can fail under pressure and temptation, so we need to know what the real love is, to help the others. Again, treat them in the way you would like to be treated.

4. Our neighbors are also whom we meet away from our homes.

Not only those who ask for help, but to all those you see who needs help.

+ Don’t differentiate between a poor lady who is trying to make a living on few cents.

+ Or that child who lost his way and needed help.

+ Even the drunken man who fell in the street and needs help.

All these people who we meet everyday are our neighbors. We have to love them, as we love ourselves.

All people are our neighbors. Lord Christ did good acts to the people. He healed the sick etc. All the people are His children without exception. In Baptism we become one family. This is the family of God, the One Who cared dearly for them. He taught us that who does well for them, is like doing it for Him. Whether you filled the hungry, dressed the naked or visited a sick person, all these are equivalent, as He was the One who received them. We have to remember that God is the Giver and we are no more than His agents.

We previously mentioned that God wants to feel that we sold everything we have to help others. Our fortunes belong to God, He is Who motivates us to give the needy and this is the work of God with us.

What would it be if we change the rules and apply them in the commercial community? If we apply the golden love, there would be no cheating! Lying will cease to exist. All deals would be based on honesty and fairness. There would be no unrealistic demands from the buyers.

Supervisors at work and their employees will be treated as if they were neighbors! There would be no unreasonable demands, but success at work.

An owner of a factory invited all his workers to attend his son’s wedding. He gave everyone a bonus equivalent to a month’s salary for this occasion. He gave the deacons who attended the ceremony very nice gifts. I do remember well that when he passed away, the church was full by the mourners. This reminded me with the saying, happy with them on the happy occasions and wailing also on their days of sorrow.

+ Equally we should apply the golden rule in our Christian work fields. This will promote and bless the work and illuminates the unneeded criticism that spoils everything.

Criticism usually occurs out of envy. If we avoid it, people would work in harmony without worry and many souls would be saved.

Our eyes, because they are sick, see only the black spots, though everything else is white. With criticism we get repulsive spirit. Lord Christ while walking with the disciples noticed a dead dog on the road. Peter pointed out the smell was terrible. One of them said it would putrefy and others said it would contaminate the place and attracts many flies. Th Lord looked at them smiling and said that the teeth of the dog were white! He found something good other than the bad things. Don’t we see something good among those we meet? Can’t we see any good in what the Lord gave us? We need to thank God for what He gave us, so He can give us more. Gifts can be increased by thanks.

A lady once told the priest that another lady did bad things. The priest never commented. On other occasions she repeated what she said about the same lady. The priest on all the occasions remained silent. The lady apparently frustrated asked him directly why he ignored what she told him. He then told her that he didn’t want to be on the Satan side. In the Book of Revelation, he told her, that the Satan was named as the "accuser of his brethren" and he didn’t want to be the Satan. The lady understood that she was doing a satanic act.

+ We also have to apply the golden rule with everyone who didn’t know Christ. We have to love them like ourselves, as a necessity to lead them to the light.

The unbelievers, whether men or women are our brothers and sisters whom we have to deal with and should be treated the same way we treat the Christians. God is the Father of all people and accordingly we have to deal with them with honesty, purity and wisdom in the known Christian style. Listen to Christ’s words, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." [Matthew 5:16]

During W. W. II, London used to be in the darkness after sunset because of the air raids. An artist planned to make a picture for a girl who morally lost her way in this big city of 12 millions at that time. The misery and fear were showed in the pictured surrounded by darkened features, which were fearful indeed. The artist wrote in his memoirs that there were many girls like her, who lost their way and drowned in sin and adultery. He decided to close his studio and go to the real world to try to save some of these call girls and guide them back to the Lord Christ. He concerted himself to reach his goal.

When I was in Germany I used to go for treatment to a hospital specialized in treating heart elements. The hospital director was an eminent cardiologist who put a sign at the main hospital door that read, "Prayers distant fears from the heart". In a private conversation with him, he told me that he wondered why he was still practicing at a time he had enough money to live and his family comfortably. He said that he was planning to resign his job and spend his time to help the girls who deviated and strayed away into sin, to bring them back to the Lord Christ. I asked him if he left who then would see cardiac patients. He replied that there were more than enough cardiologists in the country. I had tears in my eyes and embraced him. He was an exceptional nice person in a country known that men’s goal was to run after money, although many confess the Lord Christ.

Our most important duty is to love our fellows in this world equally as we love ourselves. We have to show our love to them and treat them the same way we want others to treat us.

We have to ask ourselves if we truly can obey this law that makes us to love and make our neighbors feel that love.

The natural love may not continue and may fail when it is not reciprocated. We have to acquire a Divine love that would enable us to follow this law and the previous ones.

The word love was originated from two Greek words. The first meaning stands for the worldly love. The second refers to the deep love towards God. It is used repeatedly in the Bible and we are always asked to love our neighbors in a Divine way, that love that was given to us by our God. Nobody can achieve this on his own strength, without God’s help. St. Paul wrote, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthen me." [Philippians 4:13]

The love we received from our Lord has 16 features as defined in 1Corinthians 3:8:

1. Be patient. Don’t rush in judgment if you were attacked verbally. This may be baseless.
2. Forgiveness. Remember that God forgave us too.
3. Envy. Don’t envy the others for their success. Don’t deny their achievements. Just pray to God and ask for your success.
4. Don’t be conceited. We are also sinners.
5. Don’t be arrogant, God elevates the modest.
6. Behave nicely. Don’t irritate others.
7. Don’t be selfish. There should be no place for selfishness as we are one big family.
8. Don’t challenge nor get angry. "Therefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath." [James 1:19]
9. Don’t think badly of others and be considerate.
10. Don’t rejoice for other’s miseries. You could be the person that God spared. So don’t say he deserved it!
11. Rejoice when the truth prevails.
12. Know when you should remain silent to give peace a chance to predominate.
13. Believe in Him. "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." [ Romans 8:28]
14. Be hopeful and never be in despair.
15. Always be patient. "But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." [ James 1:4 ]
16. Love never fails. Worldly love may fail, but the Divine love doesn’t.

These are the features of the wonderful love, given by God to us through Jesus Christ Who gives us the strength to obey the laws of the Kingdom of Heavens. With that we become the real children of God indeed.

"God is love and he who abides in love abides in God and God in him." [John 4:16]