The rabbi’s of Jesus day taught an important principle: don’t do unto others what you would not want them to do to you. While this principle is good as far as it goes, it produces an attitude toward others that could best be described as “do no harm”. As long as I am not hurting others, I have fulfilled the law. Jesus raises the stakes for all who would listen. He makes a subtle but profound change: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” The mode is changed from passive to active. It is no longer enough to simply do no harm. I am to be proactive in my care for others, as I would want them to be for me.