All roads lead to Rome, they say, but that's only if you're actually heading to Rome. What if you want to go somewhere else? I know there's a lot of you now thinking this not-me thing isn't really my cup of tea. I mean, where would we be if I didn't look out for good ol' Number 1? Yeah, who knows where we might end up.
You have to give this Jesus fella credit though: he knew how to keep it simple. I mean how hard did he really make it: Love Gd, love your "neighbor", and don't do anything to anyone else that you wouldn't want them to do to you. That's it. As I like to see it, just three simple rules, or principles, whichever you feel more comfortable with. It is the case, however, that there are some of you out there who don't believe in Gd. Your choice, I say. So, I think you've got it even easier, really, because then the system, the whole to-do, consists really of only two principles: love your "neighbor" and behave accordingly. How tough can that be? Two rules. C'mon, any of us can get it together with two rules, can't we? OK, apparently not.
As I read the story, this is what got him into trouble. The powers-that-were (which weren't a whole lot different than the powers-that-be today) knew that it was precisely these couple of rules which were going to ruin things for them. I mean, who's going to bow and scrape if everyone is looking out of other people, ordinary people, people who might for whatever reason need a hand. If we're all running around being Good Samaritans, if you like, who is going to pay them the respect and defer to them as they think is fit? Well, actually, nobody. My feeling has always been: if you want my respect, earn it. end of story. You don't get it just because you happen to think you deserve it. If you're playing by the rules, you get it because you're better and helping others and not doing stuff that you wouldn't want done to yourself. Anything else is, well, simply off program.
I know, I know ... not how things are, I hear you saying. All I can respond with is a question: why? Three billion people out there claim to be following this Jesus fellow and we're all gearing up for his birthday bash, and when I look around, all I see are folks who are looking for excuses not to follow him at all. Not even in a position to adhere to a couple of simple rules, rules that children, oddly enough, follow quite naturally, until we raise them to stop helping others and start looking out for themselves.
No, we're not putting our best foot forward, by any means.
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