by Rich DuBose
When it comes to navigating Scripture, a lot of us get lost in the weeds of the “Thou shalt nots,” the prophecies and genealogies. We’re good at quoting certain passages and condemning those who don't order their lives accordingly. But the divine message has always been utterly simple; without pretense or religious flavoring. Treat one another kindly, with grace and forgiveness. Do this and you will live, thrive, and fulfill your Maker’s purpose. No more, no less.
“This is what our Scriptures come to teach: in everything, in every circumstance, do to others as you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12, The Voice).
Basically two sentence sum everything up..
By the way, we don’t practice kindness in order to go to heaven. We choose kindness because God is so kind to us, and wherever Kindness is, God is. Heaven is a place where kindness springs from each heart—eternally. Hell is its counterpart…where meanness is encouraged, stoked, and celebrated.
The spiritual advice I keep giving myself, day in and day out, is to stay out of the weeds and keep focused on the simplicity of the over-arching message, spoken by Jesus himself.
“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12, NLT).
Rich DuBose writes from Northern California | Photo by Kaman Abdullah, with Pexels
On the web at: richdubose.com. All Rights Reserved © 2025. Join me on Blue Sky @spiritrenew.bsky.social.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from The Voice™. Copyright © 2012 by Ecclesia Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.