DOING WHAT'S RIGHT - FROM THOM MCDONOUGH

One day this past week, the waves were pounding our shoreline as strong northwesterly winds drove the water ahead of it.  I was hoping to get out fishing, but given that I have a twelve-foot boat, powered by a 5 hp motor, the wind and waves made decision making easy.  I did what was right and stayed ashore.

I wish every decision to do what is right, was so easy.  Unfortunately, life is complicated by the circumstances that we experience and by the people we encounter.

The writer of the Book of James, who writes about the way we should live in the world, says that "Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, commits a sin."   That's a lot of responsibility on us!

It's a lot of responsibility because we live in a time where there is not a lot of clarity as to what is right and wrong.  We live in a time when it seems that people are taking it upon themselves to determine what is right, using their own circumstances and judgement to make those calls.  Subsequently, what they feel is right, maybe hurtful to others.

I was raised in a Christian tradition that promotes loving one's neighbour, whoever that neighbour might be.  The problem comes in actually carrying out that love, giving it form, as we go through our daily living, trying to do what is right.

There has been a recent bit of debate over the playing of the 74 year old song, "Baby, It's Cold Outside".  Some find the song offensive in this era of #MeToo.  Others are saying that censorship of the tune, in our era of rap and a President of the United States not being sanctioned for his bragging about grabbing women inappropriately, is ridiculous.

What is the right thing to do?  Tough call, this.

What I try to do is know my neighbour.  I try to think about consequences.  I try to think about any hurt that I do might cause just as much as  I consider what good I'm trying to accomplish.

Knowing that I'm an imperfect human being, I also have to recognize when I have not done right and take the appropriate actions to seek forgiveness and make amends.

Doing the right thing isn't always easy, but we'll make fewer mistakes if we approach what we do with love in our hearts and a real desire not to hurt others.

Peace and be well, friends.

 Thom