Is there a line that defines decent behavior? Jesus said “Do unto others as you would have them do to you”(Matthew 7:12). That does not mean, by the way, that we should do unto others before they get a chance to do it to us! Although, I must say, sometimes people act as if that were the case. Think about it – what would you want others to do to you? How would you want to be treated? If you were ill, you would want a skilled medical professional to treat you with kindness and respect. If you were new in town, you would want your new neighbors to treat you with respect, whether you dressed just like them, or differently, whether you worshipped as they did or differently, whether you spoke the same language, or not.

The operative word is respect. The only way to treat another person as you would wish to be treated is to treat that person respectfully. If you truly follow Jesus, that means to love them as well. But let’s begin just with respect.

Is it respectful for 4 youth to torment a young person who is mentally challenged, filming the whole thing? Everyone would agree that is wrong. Is it respectful to torment a young person because he/she is gay or lesbian? That too is clearly wrong. And yet, we often see incidents these days where these things happen, where kids – yes, children – beat and kick  and torment others then post it on social media. What is happening in our society that makes them think that makes them look big, or famous?

Is it respectful to fail to tip a hard-working waitress, leaving a note about how she should live her life instead? No – that is not respectful, nor loving, yet this was done by people who called themselves Christian. Is it respectful to scream at a clerk who is trying his/her best to help you? If you have witnessed this you would agree that the answer is no.

Is it respectful for a political candidate to mock someone’s disability? to tell people that someone who demonstrates at his rally should be beaten up? to brag about grabbing women? to attack reporters who ask difficult questions? to talk about all people of a nationality as rapists and thieves? to talk about women as pigs? We are not talking about “political correctness” here; we are talking about behavior that is not respectful. I thought that there was a line by which you and I defined acceptable behavior. For me, these behaviors are over that line, even for Junior High, just like those I listed above. And yet, people who claim to be Christian voted for someone who crossed this line, who would never want to be treated the way he is treating others!

My question remains, where do you draw your line? What actions are in keeping with the Golden Rule?