There is a saying that when you point a finger at someone, there are four other fingers on that same hand pointing back at you. In our assessing of our fellow Vincentians and in particular public figures, what do our words of assessment say about who we are and the spirit in which we are operating? What might those four other fingers say, if they were to truly speak?
No human being is perfect. Matthew 5:33-37 seem to suggest we should not make oaths at all. However, the civil laws and yardsticks of religion are combined when a Bible is the object on which promises are made. We are generally a Jehovah fearing people. Even though there are many gods in our land, the swearing into office ceremonies held clearly assume and imply that integrity, and truthfulness are among the moral values to be upheld. Generally, there are about twelve ethical principles: honesty, fairness, leadership, integrity, compassion, respect, responsibility, loyalty, law-abiding, transparency, and environmental concerns.
Human beings are weak. Jeremiah 17:9 -The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? And this can be compounded even further when moral fiber does not match economic status, education, knowledge and especially authority and power.
However, when those of us who might be in less authority and power begin to unleash words and pass judgement on those in charge, we see in common Vincentian exchanges and commentary a level of rhetoric that is too often destructive and disturbing. The four other fingers are not being heard.
Romans 13:1-7 says:
Submit to Government
1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. 4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. 5 Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. 7 Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.
And/But Acts 5:29 also says – … We ought to obey God rather than men.
While not negating Romans 13, this implies that men in charged at times may be corrupt and less than moral. And sometimes, it is those same men who swore, and who we expected to be ethical and modelling perfection.
But, what are the other four fingers on the pointing hand saying? Are our mindsets towards these people in authority based on hearsay, ‘commess’, suspicion, our own greed, jumping to conclusions or emotional charged disloyalty? Are they based on whether or not we receive materially what we see others got and think we deserved as well? Is it perhaps from a spirit of habitual eternal ingratitude and complaining that has become common among our normal conversations? Ah dat wey hot!
Disrespecting authority is never appropriate while disagreeing with people in authority is perfectly ok. There is a world of difference between the two. Habitual attitudes of lawlessness is often the spirit behind such disrespect. These are the same people who will litter when no one is looking or can never say no to money no matter how they can get it.
Slandering and name calling is no doubt disrespect. This becomes a basis for lawlessness. Crime and criminal behavior then become easier. When one engages in this level of commentary, a look at what the other four fingers point out might be invisible to them. However, it might be clear to others reading and listening. Our society norms and levels of conversation are too often not seen as worse than the person who is being verbally executed by our words. What such behavior evidences are a clear indication of our inabilities to choose to rise above a corrupt ‘mahsa’ and choose to create a morally stronger and ethically sound path for our own destinies. There are limits to what human beings can and will provide for others. Emancipation is often not about just looking backwards, but rather avoiding the distractions of the present while having a clear vision for the destiny that is within our abilities to create. Jehovah has a way of blessing even our limitations when we operate and speak with His given principles on board. Maybe this is where our heads need to firmly be instead of thinking that our vexation filled noises will help us.
The attitudes with which persons speak about people in authority as adults will play out in how our children will speak to us in future. It will be reflected in their attitude to teachers and other authority figures in their lives. Our examples are crucial to the future society we are now creating.
Luke 6:45 – A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
We need to return to ways of the old Vincentian heart. While the world changes around us and the corruption and injustices flourish, even our protests and disagreement can come forth from us without ourselves becoming corrupt by it. Our words might say more about us and who we are than about the person who we are talking about.
James 3:1-5: My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. 3 Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. 4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.
