Do No Harm

"If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another." (Galatians 5:15)

The first simple rule is "Do no harm." It is not that complicated. Even a child can understand what it means, and it is applicable to everyone at every stage of life. And when practiced, it works wonders in transforming the world around us. Most of us have observed and experienced the struggle to resolve complex and difficult issues. I have found that when this first simple rule was remembered, it often saved me from uttering a wrong word or considering a wrong response.

I have also found that this first simple step, when practiced, can provide a safe place to stand while the hard and faithful work of discernment is done. When we agree that we will not harm those with whom we disagree, conversation, dialogue, and discovery of new insight become possible. When our words and actions are guarded by this first simple rule, we have time and space to think about consequences before a word is spoken or an action taken.

Each of us knows of groups that are locked in conflict, sometimes over profound issues and sometimes over issues that are just plain silly. But the conflict is real, the divisions deep, and the consequences can often be devastating. If, however, all who are involved can agree to do no harm, the climate in which the conflict is going on is immediately changed. How is it changed? Well, if I am to do no harm, I can no longer gossip about the conflict. I can no longer speak disparagingly about those involved in the conflict. I can no longer manipulate the facts of the conflict. I can no longer diminish those who do not agree with me and must honor each as a child of God. I will guard my lips, my mind and my heart so that my language will not disparage, injure or wound another child of God. I must do no harm, even while I seek a common good.

It may easily be believed, he who had this love in his heart would work no evil to his neighbour [sic].

It was impossible for him, knowingly and designedly, to do harm to any man. He was at the greatest distance from cruelty and wrong, from any unjust or unkind action. With the same care did he "set a watch before his mouth, and keep the door of his lips," lest he should offend in tongue, either against justice, or against mercy or truth. He put away All lying, falsehood and fraud; neither was guile found in his mouth. He spake evil of no man nor did an unkind word ever come out of his lips. ("Sermon 4, Scriptural Christianity," in Works , Vol. 5; page 41)

This act of disarming, laying aside our weapons and our desire to do harm, is revealing in other ways as well. We discover that we stand on common ground, inhabit a common and precious space, share a common faith, feast at a common table, and have an equal measure of God's unlimited love. When I am determined to do no harm to you, I lose my fear of you; and I am able to see you and hear you more clearly. Disarmed of the possibility to do harm, we find that good and solid place to stand where together we can seek the way forward in faithfulness to God.

When this first step is not taken, it usually is not because it is misunderstood or because it is too simple. More often it is a step not taken because it demands too much in the way of self-discipline and a very deep faith that God will empower and lead the faithful. To agree to take this first step is for many of us to agree with a theology and a practice too rigorous for our timid and tame commitment. If this step is so simple and so easily understood, why then do so many do so much harm? Because it is not an easy rule; and it does demand a radical trust in God's presence, power, wisdom, and guidance and a radical obedience to God's leadership. Practicing our faith in the world requires our deepest resolve, our greatest faith, our unwavering trust, and a very, very large measure of God's grace.

A second reason why this step is not taken may be that we have bound ourselves to a certain ideology or theology rather than binding ourselves to Jesus Christ as both Savior and Lord of all. We may have permitted our loyalty to a theological position to trump our loyalty to Jesus Christ. We may be so sure that "our way" is the right and only way that we cannot even consider that God's way could be different than our own. We have forgotten the importance of understanding clearly the God with whom we engage when we choose to follow the way of Jesus. To abandon the way of the world and follow the way of Jesus is a bold move and requires honest, careful, and prayerful consideration. It is not an inconsequential decision. Jesus himself told us to consider carefully the cost of discipleship: "For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? ... So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions" (Luke 14:28, 33).

To follow Jesus is to follow a God made known in Scripture, history, nature, our innermost self, and— most of all—in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. To follow Jesus is to follow One who fully trusts in God's goodness, love, and intimate involvement in the affairs of humankind. To follow this Jesus is to desire to be like him in our living and our dying. For some of us, that choice is just too frightening and too demanding; so we follow at a distance or turn away. But deep in the silence of our hearts, we know we do want to follow Jesus. We do know that following Jesus is the best and only way for us to live fully and faithfully. We really do know that it is the only way to live a peaceful, joyful, fruitful life. Deep in our hearts we know that this is the life we want. We do want to follow Jesus, even if it means giving up our favorite position or our favorite possession; and so we pray for grace to be faithful as we say yes to the invitation to faithfulness.

There may be another reason why we overlook this basic building block of Christian living—we are afraid of its consequences. To abandon the ways of the world for the way of Jesus is a radical step. While this step is very simple and easily understood, it is not easily achieved. We realize it may lead us where we do not wish to go. Are we really ready to give up political power for the power of God's love? Are we ready to give up our most cherished possession— the certainty that we are right and others wrong? Can we trust God enough to follow the ways of the Spirit rather than the ways of the world? If we choose to follow this way, will we be seen as weak and at the mercy of others rather than as powerful and in control of every situation? If we choose this way, will our position be eroded and our point lost? The risk seems so great and often our fears speak so much louder than our faith.

Is it possible to live in this complex and violent world without doing harm? Are we supposed to turn the other cheek to those who distort the truth by selective use of the facts of any given situation? Is it wise to do no harm to those who...