21 Days of Prayer and Fasting - Day 18

DO TO OTHERS

Matthew 7:12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

After Jesus provided for us three verbs or actions in prayer (ask, seek, knock), the next line of his teaching in Matthew 7 may come as a bit of a surprise to us. Jesus goes from prayer to summing up the Law and the Prophets (or the Old Testament). In summing it up, Jesus doesn’t talk more about one’s prayer life as a great indicator of maturity. He turns our attention to others, and doing to others what you would have them do to you.

I like what M. Robert Mulholland said in his book, Invitation to a Journey. He wrote, “Spiritual formation is a process of being conformed to the image of Christ for the sake of others.” This is beautiful and challenging. Jesus was so intentional about teaching us how to pray, and inviting us into so much through practices like prayer and fasting. Also, Jesus always helped his disciples understand that following Him would produce fruit that would be for the sake of others. Experiencing life with Jesus, becoming more like Jesus, and doing what Jesus taught us to do; not only leads us to flourishing personally in the abundant life of God’s kingdom, but it leads us to helping others flourish as well. Any journey of prayer and fasting, discipleship, or spiritual formation that excludes doing to others what you would have them do to you is incomplete.

REFLECTION

Take a moment to pause and reflect on this teaching from Jesus.

In what practical ways might you do to others what you would have them do to you?