I like pithy sayings. The shorter, the better. Recalling them helps keep me focused on what is important. For example, the Yogi Berra advice in the title: “If you come to a fork in the road: take it!” We laughed when he originally said it. But, then, we eventually saw some real wisdom buried in that humor: don’t dither forever over a choice; make it and move on.
I also love this thought I once heard from a Texan: “If all you can do is all you can do, then all you can do is enough.” That’s a real comfort in stressful times.
“First, do no harm” does an excellent job of summing up the medical world’s much longer Hippocratic Oath, and it works as another great guideline for my own personal operating procedures.
A while back, I learned one that comes from a story in the Jewish Talmud. It’s about a rabbi who was challenged, one day, by a non-Jew. This person pledged to convert to Judaism if the rabbi could express the entire Torah while standing on one foot. It wasn’t a true pledge. The challenger was actually mocking the rabbi.
Nevertheless, the rabbi immediately stood on one foot, and said, “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor.” This is sometimes called “The Silver Rule.” I think any follower of Jesus can recognize how similar this is to “The Golden Rule” (“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”) In fact, I think this so-called “Silver Rule” may better capture the true spirit of the more famous one.
Working out some explanation is worthwhile. As hard as it may be to believe, some people end up doing bad things to others in the name of “The Golden Rule.”
I write this comparison of “rules” and true meanings because of this week’s passage from 2 Corinthians. The Apostle Paul was in the middle of asking the members of the church at Corinth to supply funds for the relief of other Jesus followers (in other places) who were having a great financial need.
I have often heard the passage used to guilt people into giving money to a church or ministry. Often left out is the explanation Paul supplies: “I do not mean there should be relief for others and pressure on you.”
He goes on to say he only wants them to give “out of their abundance” to those others who are in need, rather than put themselves in poverty to help others. And, he would expect a reciprocal arrangement should they ever be in need and wanting other churches to send money to them.
Maybe it’s a subtle point, but I just keep meeting people who think they must impoverish themselves or they can’t be “real” Christians. I feel it needs to be underscored. God loves us and, for the most part, only asks of us what we can do. If we are stretched, it is only because we are capable of it.
So, taking all this into account, here’s my new entry to my personal operating procedures: “In doing your good, do no harm, even to yourself.”
I think that sums it up nicely.
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PHOTO CREDIT:
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Friday morning, we have another great hour of scripture, laughter, prayer, discussion, and fellowship at DaySpring’s Lectionary Breakfast. Join us at 8:00 via Zoom.
Blessings,
Steve
Contact me for the Zoom link
NOTE: Zoom allows you to mute the camera if you don’t wish to be seen and to mute the microphone if you don’t wish to speak.
SCRIPTURES FOR THE COMING WEEK
Find them here:
2Samuel 1:1, 17-27
Psalm 130
Lamentations 3:22-33
Psalm 30
2Corinthians 8:7-15
Mark 5:21-43
Proper 8 (13) (June 27, 2021)
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