Chapter Six: The Golden Rule
This is a Reflective Practice Exercise learning about and applying the Golden Rule to our own practice.
Objective: to learn from personal encounters where the Golden Rule has been applied and to consider the effect on both the recipient and the chaplain.
Format:
A. Presenter reads a paragraph on ‘the Golden Rule.’
B. Reflections include NICE Dignity Challenge guideline 2 (2006)
C. Wider Theological theme that emerges
D. Allow for comment and questions from attendees
Timing: Allow 45 minutes
Golden Rule
In a world crowded with so many moral and religious philosophies, one principle rises to the top as the most consistent, prevalent and universal of them all: The Golden Rule. The Golden Rule (GR) Jesus’ closing words from the Sermon on the Mount simply states:
"In everything do to others as you would have them do to you" (Matthew 7:12)
In the workplace, the Golden Rule means that you would not take advantage of someone or lie to get ahead because you would not want others doing that to you. In healthcare, the GR means you ‘switch places. You step into another’s shoes. What you do to Grandpa, you imagine being done to you.’ (Gensler 2013: 1-1).
Gensler reworded the GR for healthcare ‘treat others only as you consent to being treated in the same situation.’ (2013)
The NICE Dignity Challenge 2 of 2006 said ‘support people with the same respect you would want for yourself or a member of your family.’ NICE explained further ‘by this we mean, people should be cared for in a courteous and considerate manner.’
Most world religions have a version of the GR in their religious writings, but Jesus is credited with transposing the rule into the positive format i.e. from ‘do not treat others as you would not wish to be treated’ (Confucius) to ‘do to others what you would have them do to you.’
Bible commentaries point out that the positive is more demanding than the negative being a call to unselfish love in action (Stott 1978, p.191; Carson et al. 1994, p.914). The negative version can be passive requiring nothing more than mental acknowledgement
Some of Jesus’ parables go beyond the immediate need to ‘go the extra mile.’ For example, in Luke 10 v 30-37, the parable of the Good Samaritan demonstrates the ‘extra mile’ of the GR. The story appeared to be about a person who suffered injury through a violent attack. The story was in fact about ‘who was the good neighbour of the patient.’
The spiritual application of the Golden Rule asks; ‘what type of neighbour or Chaplain will I be in response to the patient’s needs.’
Practising the Golden Rule in healthcare, thinking about how your actions affect others changes your life and facilitates excellent healthcare for others and considerate relations with work colleagues.
Questions for group discussion
1. Share an instance when you consider that you applied the Golden Rule appropriately.
Explain the basics of the encounter and how your intervention took place.
What influenced your thinking
What other choices did you have
What would have been the consequences of these choices?
2. Can you see how ‘switching places’ may have a different outcome from a simple application of the Golden Rule?
Explain.
3. Share an example of Going the Extra mile.
Are there dangers of ‘going the extra mile?’
