CHILDREN BIBLE STUDY OUTLINE BY PASTOR (MRS.) OLANIKE BANSO
TOPIC: THE GOLDEN RULE
TEXT: 2 Kings 6:24-28
MEMORY VERSE:. “Do to others what you want them to do to you” (Matthew 7:12 NCV).
INTRODUCTION: God is concerned about how we live our lives in relation to other human beings. He has given us guidelines or rules to guide our relationship with other people. In the Ten Commandments, six of the laws are to guide how we behave towards other people. God is concerned about how other people treat you and how you treat other people because He created every human being, and wants everyone to live in peace with one another.
WHAT DOES THE GOLDEN RULE SAY?
Although the phrase, “Golden rule”, is not used in the Bible, the golden rule is stated there. The golden rule is in Matthew 7:12. It says, “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you….” Jesus gave the golden rule and it simply implies that:
(a) To every action, there is an equal reaction.   (b) Whatever a man sows, that is what he will also reap.
EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE IN THE BIBLE Â WHO DID NOT OBEY THE GOLDEN RULE
1.The woman who joined the other woman to eat her child during a famine. She ate another woman’s son, but she did not want her own son to be eaten. She went to hide her son when it was his turn to be eaten (2 Kings 6:28-29).
2. Adoni-bezek: A wicked king who captured other kings and punished them by cutting off their thumbs and big toes. When he was also captured, his own thumbs and big toes were also cut off and he said; “Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off have picked up scraps under my table. Now God has paid me back for what I did to them” (Judges 1:7).
3. King Agag: He was the king of the Amalekites who made women childless by killing their children with his sword. His own mother also became childless when he was captured and killed, according to God’s instructions. Samuel said; “As your sword has made women childless, so will your mother be childless among women.” Samuel put Agag to death before the Lord at Gilgal (1Samuel 15:33).
4. The unforgiving servant: He was the servant who was forgiven so much debt, but who could not forgive a fellow servant who owed him little money (Matthew 18:23-34).
EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE IN THE BIBLE WHO OBEYED THE GOLDEN RULE
1. Rahab: She spared and protected the two spies and she was also spared and protected from the destruction of Jericho (Joshua 2:2-23, 6:22-25).
2. David: He had the opportunity to kill Saul, who wanted to kill him, but he did not because he feared God. Saul later died and God made David the king of Israel (1 Samuel 24:3-22).
3. Jesus: Jesus obeyed God and His disciples obeyed him, nature obeyed Him and His teachings are still being obeyed till today (John4:34).
WAYS WE CAN OBEY THE GOLDEN RULE
1. Do good if you want good to be done to you. Be full of good works. If you do bad or evil, someone will do the same to you (1Timothy 6:18, Galatians 6:10). Luke 6:38 says, “Give, and it will be given to you.”
2. Be friendly if you want people to be friendly with you (Proverbs 18:24a).
3. Give a smile and you will get a smile in return (Job 9:27; Galatians 6:7).
4. Visit people, when necessary, if you like to be visited (Matthew 25:43).
5. Speak to people the way you want them to speak to you. Don’t be abusive, disrespectful or harsh in speaking to people. Remember the Bible says, “Soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1).
6. Don’t gossip or speak badly of people behind them if you don’t expect the same to be done to you (Proverbs 11:13, 26:20).
CONCLUSION: As you can see, the golden rule was given for our own good. Practise the golden rule and you will be happy, healthy and make other people around you happy. Seek the good of others. STAY BLESSED!
 Pastor (Mrs) Olanike Banso is a servant of God in Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria. She has a ministry to children.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org