Last
time, I asked, "How should we behave toward our fellow human
beings who are less fortunate than we?" I want to explore a
related question this month. How do we become
"ethical"? Where do we learn ethical behavior? Who or
what teaches us respect for the other person?
The Abrahamic traditions benefit from a
long and rich history of values development. Most of us recognize
the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20, and Deuteronomy 5) given to Moses as
a main basis for how we should relate to God and to one another.
I have a long-standing interest in the
substance of the book of Proverbs, because it represents (for me) the
distillation of our common sense about how our behaviors affect our
lives and those around us. I remember hearing bits of the Book of
Proverbs quoted in my home when I was growing up. Perhaps you do
too. So I credit that Book as one source of my own training toward
"right behavior."
Part of the
"Books of Truth" section of the Hebrew Bible, Proverbs
provides a basis for the education of young Jews. Its influence
reaches more broadly, too, as it forms part of the basis of the
values of Christianity and Islam. This is where we can find much
good advice about how to behave with others. For example, Proverbs
1:10 says, "My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to
them." The succeeding verses talk about ambushing someone, and
taking his material possessions. Murder and theft are prohibited in
the Ten Commandments, and the prohibition is reinforced here.
The Qur'an teaches the same lesson. In
5:105, we read, "Believers, guard your own souls. The person
who has gone astray cannot hurt you if you are rightly guided."
In both these teachings, we're warned to avoid following the lure of
others whose behaviors do not reflect the scriptures' instructions.
Our Abrahamic traditions also teach
justice -- fair treatment of others. For example, the Qur'an teaches
that we should deal justly with all other people, regardless of how
we feel about them. At 5:8, we read, "Do not allow your
hatred for other men to turn you away from justice. Deal justly;
that is nearer to true piety." And at 4:135, we see that
Muslims are instructed to seek justice even when it goes against
themselves or those they love: "Stand out firmly for justice,
as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents,
or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor..."
Perhaps one of the most
straight-forward instructions to act justly tells us to love our
neighbors as ourselves. Christians accept Jesus' teaching of the
"greatest commandment" in Matthew 22:36-40 as the most
fundamental statement of what it means to act like a Christian.
Proverbs 11:24-25 teaches us how to love our neighbors, saying that
generosity toward others will be a reward in itself: "One man
gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but
comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes
others will himself be refreshed." And the Qur'an emphasizes
that point too, at 2:177: "The righteous man is he who ...
gives away his wealth to his kinsfolk, to orphans, to the helpless,
to the traveler in need and to beggars, and for the redemption of
captives..."
Generosity, justice, and adhering to
your sense of what's right -- these lessons are taught in all of our
holy scriptures. It's up to us to learn our lessons, and to act
accordingly.
