Golden Rule on the Hall of Justice

Yesterday I ate lunch at PJ's Deli in Newton.  The Deli (good stuff) is in downtown Newton.  Anyway, I parked my car in downtown Newton and passed the county courthouse on the way to getting my sandwich.  As I looked at the ancient hall of justice, I noticed some writing high above the sidewalk.  It said:  "Whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you even so to them."  It was the golden rule carved out in stone on the impressive structure.  Jesus taught this principle in His sermon on the mount: "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."  (Matthew 7:12)  While eating my sandwich, I reflected that the world would be a much better place if people lived according to this gold standard.  If human beings thought deeply about how their actions impact other human beings, it may just empty out the prisons.  Or at least there would be a great decrease in the population of incarcerated men and women.  We'd have fewer cases of robbery, abuse and assault - that's for sure.  And we'd treat other people with the respect that they deserve as image bearers of God.  May the Spirit of God invade our society so that we may live in the ways of justice and peace.