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DO NO HARM
Sunday Worship Sermon
SEPTEMBER 13, 2009 - “If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.”
(Galatians 5:15)
In 2007, Rueben Job, a United Methodist Bishop was inspired to take the General Rules, first published by John Wesley in the 18th century, and update them for our time. This inspiration led him to write a book called, Three Simple Rules, A Wesleyan Way of Living (Copyright 2007 by Abingdon Press, Nashville, Tennesee). The three simple rules are: “Do No Harm, Do Good, and Stay in Love with God.” Over the next three weeks we’ll take a look at each of these rules.
Let’s begin today with the rule “Do No Harm.” Bishop Job lists some benefits that result from practicing doing no harm:
• Following this rule prevents us from using the wrong words or taking the wrong action.
• It creates a safe place to do the work of hearing how God is leading us.
• It helps us in conflict by changing the climate of the situation. If I am committed to doing no harm, then I pledge:
• to not gossip,
• to not manipulate the facts,
• and to not diminish another in any way.
Rueben Job states, “When I am determined to do no harm to you, I lose my fear of you, and I am able to see 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.”
These seem like benefits we would want to pursue, right? So why is it that we get side tracked from taking the step to do no harm? Job lists a few possibilities:
• It might be that too much self-discipline is required to trust that God will empower and lead us. We want to control how we go through life instead of asking God to lead us. We remember that by the time Jesus died on the cross most, even his closest followers, had deserted Jesus.
• A second possibility is that we can be so sure our way is right that we cannot even consider that God’s way could be different. When we don’t try to see how God is present in a situation, and how God is calling us to respond, we’re left up to our own devices. Remember Paul. Before he was converted he persecuted Christians, even conspiring in their deaths. He did so because he was sure his way was right.
• Third, we get afraid of the consequences that might come from: giving up our favorite position or possession, following the Holy Spirit rather than the ways of the world, appearing to others as weak rather than in control. Remember the rich young man? He asked Jesus what it took to be saved. Jesus told him that he was being controlled by his possessions and to give them up. Sadly, the man went away.
Despite the benefits, these types of things can hold us back from doing no harm. Yet, Rueben Job remains hopeful saying, “Deep in the silence of our hearts we know we want to follow Jesus.” And God the Holy Spirit is present with us giving us the power to do the right thing. We remember that after Jesus’ death, the apostles returned to build the Christian Church. Ultimately, most died defending their faith in Jesus. After Paul’s conversion to Christ, he became Christ’s leading evangelist to the Gentiles converting people all over the wide expanse of the Mediterranean region. We don’t know if the rich young man gave up being controlled by his possessions, but we do know that Christ had looked lovingly into his eyes that day and we know the transforming power of Christ’s love. “Deep in the silence of our hearts we know we want to follow Jesus.”
If we are created to do the right thing and through the Holy Spirit we have God’s power to do so, what then would it look like to follow the simple rule “Do No Harm?”
• Job suggests that it starts with examining ourselves. He states, “A person who examines his own behavior would never judge other people harshly.” When the crowd was ready to stone the woman to death, Jesus turned to them and said, “Let the one who is without sin cast the first stone.”
• And after we examine ourselves, we then need to see each person as a child of God. To do that, we have to reconcile that God loves each person, from the greatest saint to the greatest sinner equally.
• Third, to do no harm is to learn how Jesus lived and to begin to model our lives after his. To do that we need to have a close, personal relationship with Christ. “Just as two in love grow old together,” says Rueben Job, “We too can grow old together in our relationship with Christ: beginning to think, act, and look like Jesus.”
• Last, we must have a deep awareness of accountability:
• So that all my actions, even my silence, will not injure.
• So that I will proactively respond to all that is evil.
• So that, as Job says, “I am invested in bringing healing rather than hurt, wholeness rather than division, and harmony with the ways of Jesus.”
Early Methodists practiced this type of deep accountability. They were divided into small groups to pray, study scripture, and encouraging one another to grow in discipleship. In the church today, many people continue to meet in small accountability groups for this same purpose, finding it to be very helpful personally and in the life of the congregation.
Bishop Job writes, “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.” With God’s help, and the help of each other we can practice this rule and be part of the transformation of the world.
Amen.
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