I was trying to get across the biggie of ethics again to my youngest two this morning:
2. Do to others what you would have them to do you.
Then of course my daughter, who goes to Justice Middle School, brought up the person who takes advantage of your generosity to them. I shifted to a second rule.
3. Love must be tough.
We punish and bring justice first to try to reform and help others. Then at some point we sequester them to protect others from them. Then finally when there is no apparent hope we banish them from society all together.
Of course often more abstract but actually the first rule of living is:
1. Serve God.
Christians do this through the other two, but also through worship. However, the key effect serving God has on us is that it decentralizes ourselves from the throne of our lives as an idol. It says that we do not live simply for what is in our best interest but in service to God and others. It says that truth and the greater good are ultimately more important than us as individuals.
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3 comments:
So essentially your saying:
"what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,and to walk humbly with your God?"
Hmmm... come up with that yourself? ;-)
Ken,
I think the most realistic approach to life that takes care of all three without co-ercion and without presumption, and, is how our Constitution is written, as a social contract, respecting the other as an equal under law. Our Constitution does not presume "faith", but allows for it. This is serving God, by serving man (irregardless of faith).
1. Generoisity cannot be demanded, but given freely by the parties involved in "the contract".(God loves a cheerful giver ). This means that no institution can presume upon individuals when it comes to thier actions of choice. Individuals are to be respected as equal partners in institutions. Government, nor other organizations have a right to prescribe particular roles or functions within a society, without the party's consent. Consent and actions are a product of chosen values.
2. Justice is "tough love", meaning that when there has been a breaking of society's laws, then, there are reprecussions/consequences to those choices. Or when there has been a negligence to acknowledge mutuality in transparency, then there has been an abuse of power that needs addressing.
3. Serving God cannot be determined or judged by another. Service of God is in "giving back" in a particular area of interest or personal goals. (Whatever your hand finds to do, do it....)
Therefore, personal character, personal interests, and personal choice is about "faith". And "faith" is a personal matter of commitment in one's personal life.
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