The Most Important Lesson Jesus Ever Taught

Matt. 7:12 - “In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, …”

• Are You A Cheerleader or a Critic?

Zig Ziglar tells the story about golfing with his son. They were tied on the 18th hole and if Zig made his putt for a birdie he would win the game. If he missed on purpose they would remain tied. Zig thought to himself as he lined up the put, “If I miss on purpose and he asks me, ‘Did you miss on purpose?’  I won’t be able to lie to him.”

Zig stood over the ball, looked at the hole and as he drew the club back and made the birdie putt, he looked at his son and asked him, “Were you cheering for me?” His son immediately answered, “I always cheer for you dad.”

What would our answer be to our loved ones if they asked us that question, “Were you cheering for me?”

• A Life Lesson

I have learned in life we will either “cheer for” or “criticize” the ones we love.

Yet, Jesus gave us a life lesson that never becomes outdated when He said, “treat people the same way you want them to treat you.” 

This is Jesus' most important lesson that He ever taught. 

I am sure we all would rather be cheered for in this life than be criticized. So why is it that we find it so hard to treat others the way we want to be treated?

The Pharisees criticized Jesus for healing on the Sabbath, but when one of their animals got incapacitated they immediately went to help regardless if it were the Sabbath or not.

Jesus’ life lesson here will never become outdated when he said, “Treat people the way you want to be treated,” plain and simple.

• What Brings The Best Out Of You?

Ask yourself this question, “What brings the best out of you, being criticized or cheered for?” If you answered that question cheered for then that is how you are to be treating everyone and this includes your family members also.

• You Can Be A Bad Example

I watched a high school wrestling coach one time holler and scream negative criticism at his wrestler during the match. Needless to say his wrestler lost the match but he also had lost a lot of respect for his coach because when he walked off the mat he didn’t even acknowledge his coach. In fact, he walked off in the opposite direction of where his coach was standing.

• Or You Can Be A Good Example

One of the reasons when I lived in MD that I moved into the Old Mill school district was to have my son wrestle for Hall of Fame Coach, Mike Hampe. 

He never ever called his wrestlers names or belittled them in any way when they were on the mat wrestling or any other place.

Coach Hampe was the Cheerleader for his wrestlers and I am sure some of those boys won matches because they didn’t want to let their coach down who was cheering them on from the edge of the mat.

I believe Coach Hampe was living out the teachings of Jesus by treating people the way he would want to be treated.

• What To Watch For

If you were yelled at and criticized as you were growing up you will have the tendency to behave the same way. It is called “learned behavior”. BUT that doesn’t mean you can’t break this pattern.

You not only can but you absolutely need to break this pattern.

Become a positive influence in someone’s life today. Be a cheerleader to others because we all know we can accomplish more with positive reinforcement than negative criticism.

Think on These: 

Blowing out someone else’s candle won’t make yours shine any brighter.

Criticizing another man’s garden doesn’t keep weeds out of your own.

The difference between coaching and criticizing is your attitude.

Stay Pumped,

Gary A Serago
Minister of God's Word