Why should you treat others the way you want to be treated?

Answer 1

When Jesus mentioned this principle of life... He was describing the character traits of a Child of God... who conducts himself in "obedience" to the laws of his Father's household.

"Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: FOR THIS IS THE LAW and THE PROPHETS." (Matt.7:12)

Jesus is talking about a spirit-altering condition "within" man that shall change the world when it finally happens. It's an "attitude" created within all men that's the opposite of man's present nature - selfishness.

He's talking about a global attitude of love and respect for one another.

It's not just "you"... one person... treating others respectfully, but "everyone" conducting themselves this way. That is an impossibility in this world as long as man's nature remains selfish. Thinking of himself instead of others. This is where lust, envy, jealousy and greed [the things that hurt and destroy people when left unattended] are launched, fed and nurtured.

Jesus is talking about a "world-transforming" condition called WORLD PEACE and HAPPINESS. It's a change that has to take place in the heart of man -- a "desire to obey the laws of God."

"...For this is the law and the prophets."

A few people respecting others in a world of misery, suffering and chaos is commendable regarding these individuals in the eyes of God. But it's hardly world-changing. It's going to take Jesus Christ coming back, to alter [change] man's nature... to God's nature. Men will be given the character traits and nature of God whom He describes in the "Beatitudes":

"Blessed are the poor in spirit... the meek... those who hunger and thirst after Righteousness... the merciful... the pure in heart... and the Peacemakers -- for THEY SHALL BE CALLED THE CHILDREN OF GOD!" (Matt.5:3-9)

The old covenant God made with the children of Abraham, was an "agreement that they would OBEY HIS VOICE," in return for blessings; joy, peace and happiness [you know... the good things in life that everyone wants - but don't know how to go about getting].

God's voice, three days later, spoke to Abraham's children the Ten Commandments [see Ex.19 & 20]. The law of God is what He commanded them to obey [to LOVE one another; don't steal from each other, don't murder each other, don't lie to one another, don't lust after one another or one another's possessions. Be respectful to one another]. But they didn't have it "IN" them... to do it.

Instead... they had a system of "external laws" written on stone tablets as cold and hard as their hearts.

And that's what Jesus is going to attend to when He returns:

"...I will give them One Heart, and I WILL PUT A NEW SPIRIT WITHIN YOU; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: that they may walk in My statutes, and keep Mine ordinances, and do them..." (Ezek.11:19-20).

"...I will make a new covenant with the House of Israel and with the House of Judah [the Jews]: not according to the covenant I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in My covenant...

"...For this is the covenant that I will make with the House of Israel AFTER those days [notice the two houses of Israel and Judah, the Jews, are to be reunited as ONE HOUSE], saith the Lord; I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MIND, and WRITE THEM IN THEIR HEARTS... and they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, KNOW THE LORD: FOR ALL SHALL KNOW ME, from the least to the greatest. For I will be Merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." (Heb.8:8-12)

It's perfectly understandable why people might balk at "treating others the way they want to be treated"... because there will be certain others who are so miserable, or twisted, or evil; that behaving oneself respectfully won't seem to make a difference. The world will still be wicked and full of lawlessness.

But that's another reason to "treat people the way you want to be treated." Because Jesus is going to give the changedChildren of God, when He returns, AUTHORITY over the unruly, selfish nations in the world -- that they might begin to teach them God's laws and His ways.

"...he that overcometh, and keepeth My works unto the end, to him will I give POWER OVER THE NATIONS: and he shall RULE THEM with a rod of iron..." (Rev.2:26-27).

Treating people the way you want to be treated may seem like a waste of time in this world. But it will be good practice, if one's motivation is in obedience to God, so one will know what needs done when they attain to the world that's coming.

Plus... although such respectful conduct, now, might not seem to make a difference to the whole world -- it may also go a long way to make "our little corner of it better, now."

It's still good practice for the "global application" of it, later. Most people will admit that the world needs it, badly.

Answer 2

Yes you need to treat people like you would like to be treated. But I think we can all agree that is can be hard especially when you have to be nice to a really mean person. Just be nice within moderation, that's the most important thing.

I think that you should not treat people horribly because you would not like it if you were being treated like that but if some one is being mean to you you should just think that that person is not thinking treat others like you want to be treated because you are sure they would not like to be treated like that but they are treating you that way so that person might want to be treated that way so treat them like they are treating you .

Answer 3

"Treat others as you want to be treated" is the what is called the "The Golden Rule". Jesus stated it as "Do to others as you would have them do to you".

Answer 4

Why should other people want to be friends with you if you do not treat them as your friend.