Living Out The "Platinum Rule"
Living Above The Golden Rule
Don’t You Just Hate Rules?
I must admit that I have a love-hate relationship with rules. I think that I am like most people in this respect. We agree that rules are necessary, but some seem unfair. We don’t like them because we believe that they limit us in certain ways. Although rules have a universal reach, we often feel as though they are directed toward us and stifle our activity. But rules are necessary. In their absence is chaos.
One Christmas, many years ago, one of my nephews told everyone that he had a new card game called Mao that he wanted us to play. So, eight of us got around my parents dinning room table, and he dealt each of us a hand of cards. He then told us that the purpose of the game was to figure out the rules. The game went something like this. As each of us tried to play a card, he would say something like, “You can’t play that card. You lose your next turn. “Or, “That card reversed the direction, and you played out of turn. Take two cards.” Mao also includes a strict "no talking" policy, which, if broken, means that you have to lose your turn or take extra cards.
The game went on for what seemed like a very long time. People got frustrated. People got mad. One niece got up and stormed out of the room saying, “This is stupid!”
After a while, a few of us began to understand some of the rules and could play without being penalized - some of the time. After a long time of frustration, humor, and anger, he told us the rules—which were absolutely insane.
Rules are needed. Rules help us understand life (and card games). Rules, however, are more than statutes that control behavior in a society, organization, game, or activity.
One definition of rule is that it is a foundational guidance system, core principle, or “basic norm” for our actions. This is the meaning Jesus was getting at in Matthew 7:12—what we call “The Golden Rule.”
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
--Matthew 7:12 NIV
Almost every society and religion has some form of this rule. However, they are not all equal. In fact, most fall short of what Jesus was saying.
THE SILVER RULE
Buddhism says, “Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful” (Udana-Varga 5:18).
Hinduism says, “One should never do that to another which one regards as injurious to one’s own self” (Anusasana Parva 113:8).
These statements and others from various religions are really not equal to the words of Jesus.
Can you see the difference?
Other religions teach what we might call the “Silver Rule” - It says, “Do not hurt others in ways you would not like to be hurt.” The Silver Rule approaches interaction with others from a negative viewpoint. Don’t hurt others because you wouldn’t like to be hurt.
THE GOLDEN RULE
In Matthew 7:12, Jesus says - “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”
This moves beyond not hurting to showing compassion and care.
The Golden Rule displayed.
Jesus gives a perfect example of living the Golden Rule in what we call the story of the “Good Samaritan.”
Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side. “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’ “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.“ - Luke 10:30-37 NLT
The story is a vivid example of the Golden Rule in action. If we were robbed and left to die, we would certainly want someone to render us assistance.
THE PLATINUM RULE
But Jesus actually calls us to a higher standard than the Golden Rule! Listen to his words!
“You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. --Matthew 5:43-45a CSB
“This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you. -- John 15:12 CSB
Jesus calls us beyond just “doing no harm” and “treating others as we would like to be treated!” He calls us beyond the Silver and Golden Rules to what we might call the Platinum Rule.
The Silver Rule = Do No Harm to Others
The Golden Rule = Love Others as Yourself
The Platinum Rule = Love others as God has loved you
Jesus calls us to live by the Platinum Rule—to show love to others by lavishing upon them grace and mercy, just as God has lavished his love upon us.
However, we cannot do that on our own! It is impossible! In our own strength. We do not have the capacity. We are basically selfish people. The only way we can live by the Platinum Rule is to let God empower us.
The challenge is to let the Holy Spirit give us both the desire and the strength to live by the Platinum Rule. In this way we are living out the hope we have in Christ. Remember that the biblical meaning of hope is “a confident trust or an assured expectation.” When we live by the Platinum Rule, we have the assured expectation that we are living the way Jesus desires -- not the way the world expects.