There are things in this life that are right to do, and things that are wrong to do… would you agree?
However, when we hear the Spike Lee movie phrase, “Do the Right Thing”… there may be a larger picture to consider. Could we agree that the phrase ‘do the right thing’ is just part of it… just half of the story. If we consider it without the framework of choice, this popular phrase really has no significance in and of itself.
So let’s try an experiment and add something to this popular phrase… Let’s instead try saying: “Do the Right Thing… When it counts.”
Most of us don’t just wake up in the morning wanting or even with the mindset of doing what’s right. Actually most of us are not necessarily looking to do wrong, but really (and let’s be honest here), we just want to get through the day. Sometimes our great ambitions give way to doing some noble act from time to time, that from the outside may look like the “right thing.” But really it’s just us following a schedule… you know, that schedule we just sort of fell into. This may not be for all of us, but certainly we all do have those days, don’t we? I know I do. Truth be told, my natural inclination is not to do right… much of the time, it is to simply do nothing. And this can be just as harmful as doing wrong.
To be intentional about doing the right thing we must acknowledge that this “rightness” heavily depends on the circumstances that call for it.
So…When does the circumstance call for it… When does it count?
1. In high pressure situations:
Situations or circumstances that provoke a response. Demand a reaction of some sort… immediately. We’ve all heard the phrase: “two wrongs don’t make a right.” Where-ever this applies, this refers to those types of situations… also adding in that it’s in the “heat of the moment.”
There are three things that can prepare us for these tight situations:
- Accountability: letting our needs/goals be made known with like/minded people
- Gratitude: an attitude of gratitude arms us with the capacity to handle anything gracefully
- Contemplation: considering the outcome of a matter before it happens
Somewhere along the line we’ve been deceived to think that this process takes a long time, perhaps too long to accomplish. However, we don’t need to officiate a whole ceremony around being prepared. These things can be woven into the things we do everyday to ensure readiness in any high pressure situation.
Also, not having been taught or trained in the societal niceties and philanthropic rules that dictate certain parts of a community (for influence or otherwise), these cues can be exactly what is needed to guide our way and into doing what is right, when it matters.
2. In a time of waiting:
Waiting can be the worst though, right?… I hardly can speak on the subject without getting impatient. Waiting is not my strong-suit.
But here’s the thing. There are other people around us that our actions affect. When we wait to take action on some things that we believe should be in place depending on the situation. We rob others of “doing the right thing.” Is that right?
A great example of this is going out “Christmas” shopping for ourselves. This may seem fun while we’re doing it, but then we find out if we had waited until Christmas day we had something much more valuable waiting for us, through the process of giving. We have taken away another’s (or our own) opportunity to bless or for example’s sake, do what is right, when we act too soon.
3. As far as it depends on us:
When else does the circumstance to “do what’s right” call for it?… As far as it depends on us. (Romans 12:18) What does this mean? When I first read this… I thought that it meant do everything we can to attain peace. By whatever means necessary. As in, do whatever it takes to do what is right. But if life has taught me anything its certainly that this strategy is simply exhausting and even more importantly… it doesn’t work!
Have you ever noticed that some people are just NOT peaceable? What should we do then? Well, when I read it again, I saw something much different: AS MUCH AS IT DEPENDS ON ME. Broken down literally it’s basically asking us… what part of the situation depends on us… what part is within our realm of influence? Outside of that… it’s not ours. This is good news! Actually, venturing into an area that is not ours, or that does NOT depend on us is much like doing the same thing I mentioned in the previous circumstance. It’s robbing the other party of their opportunity to do what is right.
Can you think of other situations of ‘when it counts’ to do the right thing? And if so, does it change what that right thing may be?
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