Pass It On - The Three Golden Gates

The three golden gates is something I first heard about from one of my first
pastors, Richard Land. It did not originate with him but I have always been
glad that he chose to repeat these words to me. Richard is now heard across the
nation daily on hundreds of family life radio stations.

He said that before you say anything to anybody you should see if it can pass
successfully through all three of the golden gates. If it couldn't make it
through all three gates it was probably not something that should be spoken at
all.

The first golden gate is, "Is It True." For most people this is the only gate
they let their words pass through. Who has not heard someone retort "well it is
true isn't it" right after they had slaughtered someone with a few poison
words. This is poor diplomacy at best and is often used as a cloke of
maliciousness. That something is true is not a mandate for you to repeat it to
the hurt of others. It is no secret that truth without love is cruelty and love
without truth is sentimentality. Many truths are weapons in the hands of those
whose motive it is to hurt. Truth then is only gate number one, so lets move
on.

The second golden gate is, "Is It Needful." Regardless of the veracity of what
you are about to say, do you really need to say it? Here is where a lot of
retort will fail to report. Most of the nasty things repeated would have no
sting at all if they attempted to pass through gate two. Only people of
character will have a gate number two. People who care about others, who
understand the weight of words and who seek love are those who have a second
golden gate. The power of this golden gate comes from the golden rule. If we
disregard someone else's peace, privacy or dignity who will guard our own?


The third golden gate is, "Is It Kind." This is the gate that causes a person
to honestly look at their own motives for saying something. True things can be
spoken to hurt. Un-needful things are spoken daily by the careless and
indifferent. Words spoken without love are the worst of the bunch because they
have a lingering and damaging effect whose poison goes on and on. They are the
great enemy of mankind. The are the precursors to every evil result from hatred
to murder. Most words that have made it through the first two gates will fail
at gate number three.

These gates are useful in almost every personal relationship you will ever
have. They can help marriages, families, and any interaction with anyone on any
level. They require a conscious effort to use and in time you will become more
skillful at using them but in every case you will become a better person for
trying.