“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12 NIV). Sometimes called the golden rule, it is one of the most known sayings/rules of our time, but what does it mean and how should I apply it to my daily life? Isn’t it just a silly rule that people reiterate to justify their actions?
These questions were constantly asked in the sermons I attended. I wanted to learn how to apply these verses to my daily life, but due to my family background and personal nature, I was usually secluded from the world. As time passed, a technical revolution happened. The internet came.
The internet opened up all new possibilities to me. There were multitudes of online communities that I could join and participate in, and since the internet was an anonymous community, I had less restraint in trying to interact with other people through the internet.
Even though there were so many ways that I could interact with people, at first, I stayed as an onlooker on the internet. I only read forums and played games, never making a reply or talked with “strangers” about these interests. Eventually, summer came around, and I found so bored on the internet. I could play games endlessly but they did not satisfy my hunger for entertainment. Still, I continued playing on the internet hoping that it would someday relieve me of my pain. Sadly, it got to the point where my parents complained that I was wasting my life away and I should do something productive, but I refused to give up on my online “life.” On the other hand, I still wanted to make my life online useful, and after some thinking, I remember what I learned in Sunday school as a kid, “do to others what you would have them do to you.” It struck me then that not only do real life communities need help but also online ones. I did not need to go far to find a community in need like all the newspapers suggest, I already was part of the community in need, I just needed to reach out my hand. That was the solution to my problems, after helping the community a bit, it solved a lot of my issues. I became a lot more open with people, I gained a meaning to my life. Best of all, I actually helped people and community, a childhood dream and goal. It seemed like a dream conclusion, but it was the truth for me.
Why do I do what I do? If I could help at least one person, it would make the world all the better, but how can I help a person who you can’t connect or relate with? I help my online community because I am a part of it and I dream to be able to help as many people as possible in this world.
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