• Home
  • RELIGION IS NOT. . .PART I
  • THE SEARCHER-SEEKER

Searcher-Seeker

Musings of a lifelong searcher-seeker

Feeds:
Posts
Comments
« A UNIFIED BELIEF. . .
THE BURNING UNASKED QUESTION. . . »

WHAT IS ‘THE FIRST RULE’?

February 24, 2021 by Searcher Seeker

Robert K. Greenleaf asks: ‘When I speak, how will that improve on the silence?’  Hidden within this simple and powerful admonishment is a guideline and I call this ‘The First Rule.’ 

Before I speak, I wait; I pause; I reflect. 

I am reminded of the teaching story in the Gospel [it doesn’t matter your faith-tradition or no faith-tradition, the story is a great teaching story — my belief, of course].  Jesus had just finished teaching about compassion and all of a sudden a noisy crowd burst upon the scene.  The crowd parted and a woman was thrown at Jesus’ feet.  Someone in the crowd wanted to know what they should do — he had just spoken of compassion and the speaker also reminded Jesus of ‘justice.’  The law said that this woman, caught in adultery, should be stoned to death.  ‘Well, Jesus, what should we do — show compassion or demonstrate justice?’  ‘Well, teacher what is your response; what do you have to say?’ 

I can see myself ‘shooting from the lip’ and taking up the taunt and the challenge.  I can see others I know also react quickly; no real pause to reflect — ‘They want a response and by God (interesting choice of words here) I will give them a response!’ 

What Jesus did was masterful.  He waited.  He paused.  He reflected.  He knelt down and wrote in the dirt [it might do each of us well if we carried some dirt with us so we could always pause and write in it before we spoke].  Then, and only then, did he speak.  His answer was perfect — he responded in such a way that the burden would be shifted to where it belonged, to those who brought the woman to be judged.  They were the ones that were judged — or rather, they were challenged to judge themselves. 

The First Rule is to wait, to pause, to reflect.  For me, it involves waiting to see what automatically emerges within my consciousness — and generally, this is not the most helpful response especially when I am faced with ‘life’ questions or ‘life’ situations or ‘life’ experiences.  I have learned that if I ‘wait’ then I will begin to discern potential responses that cut against my automatic responses.  What helps me is to make sure that ‘I see’ the other as a person. 

I am remembering the African nation where when two people meet they say to one another ‘I see you.’  ‘I see YOU!’  Do I really, truly, see the person who is attempting to obtain a response from me?  Can I begin to feel what he or she might be feeling?  Can I at minimum, ‘see’ that he or she has pain, joy, fear, courage, doubt and hope residing within them – just as I do. 

Do I have the courage to pause, to wait, to discern more deeply?  Courage comes from the French root meaning ‘heart.’  Wonderful.  Do I have the ‘heart’ to wait, to pause, to discern more deeply?  Do I care enough about the other and about myself to pause?  Does the other deserve my ‘best’ — do I? 

How can I know that my response connected?  I might learn so immediately.  I might never learn whether it did or not.  I might only learn years later.  I have had each of these experiences. 

I must build my ‘waiting capacity’ (it is also a discipline?) in order to honor ‘The First Rule’ — on my good days I can honor it with ease on my not-so-good days it is a challenge for me to do so and on my ‘really-not-good days’ I end up shooting from the lip.  How about you, Gentle Reader, what do you think about Greenleaf’s question and ‘The First Rule?’ 

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related

Posted in Uncategorized |

  • Recent Posts

    • SEEDS, SOWING & LISTENING, PART I
    • A TEACHING STORY-THE LESSON IS THERE
    • THINKING ABOUT ‘RESENTMENT’
    • WHAT MATTERS? ‘TRUST’ MATTERS!
    • CONSIDER: BEING ALERT
  • Archives

    • June 2022 (13)
    • May 2022 (15)
    • April 2022 (15)
    • March 2022 (15)
    • February 2022 (13)
    • January 2022 (13)
    • December 2021 (15)
    • November 2021 (10)
    • October 2021 (13)
    • September 2021 (10)
    • August 2021 (14)
    • July 2021 (13)
    • June 2021 (15)
    • May 2021 (15)
    • April 2021 (14)
    • March 2021 (15)
    • February 2021 (14)
    • January 2021 (14)
    • December 2020 (14)
    • November 2020 (16)
    • October 2020 (14)
    • September 2020 (15)
    • August 2020 (12)
    • July 2020 (14)
    • June 2020 (13)
    • May 2020 (12)
    • April 2020 (12)
    • March 2020 (11)
    • February 2020 (12)
    • January 2020 (13)
    • December 2019 (11)
    • November 2019 (12)
    • October 2019 (14)
    • September 2019 (11)
    • August 2019 (12)
    • July 2019 (10)
    • June 2019 (11)
    • May 2019 (12)
    • April 2019 (15)
    • March 2019 (13)
    • February 2019 (14)
    • January 2019 (10)
    • December 2018 (12)
    • November 2018 (10)
    • October 2018 (10)
    • September 2018 (7)
    • August 2018 (9)
    • July 2018 (12)
    • June 2018 (10)
    • May 2018 (8)
    • April 2018 (11)
    • March 2018 (12)
    • February 2018 (13)
    • January 2018 (12)
    • December 2017 (10)
    • November 2017 (11)
    • October 2017 (13)
    • September 2017 (14)
    • August 2017 (12)
    • July 2017 (12)
    • June 2017 (14)
    • May 2017 (14)
    • April 2017 (14)
    • March 2017 (14)
    • February 2017 (12)
    • January 2017 (13)
    • December 2016 (15)
    • November 2016 (15)
    • October 2016 (12)
    • September 2016 (12)
    • August 2016 (13)
    • July 2016 (9)
    • June 2016 (14)
    • May 2016 (14)
    • April 2016 (14)
    • March 2016 (15)
    • February 2016 (14)
    • January 2016 (15)
    • December 2015 (15)
    • November 2015 (15)
    • October 2015 (15)
    • September 2015 (15)
    • August 2015 (13)
    • July 2015 (11)
    • June 2015 (13)
    • May 2015 (11)
    • April 2015 (15)
    • March 2015 (15)
    • February 2015 (13)
    • January 2015 (16)
    • December 2014 (14)
    • November 2014 (15)
    • October 2014 (14)
    • September 2014 (12)
    • August 2014 (10)
    • July 2014 (13)
    • June 2014 (11)
    • May 2014 (14)
    • April 2014 (14)
    • March 2014 (16)
    • February 2014 (13)
    • January 2014 (14)
    • December 2013 (14)
    • November 2013 (14)
    • October 2013 (14)
    • September 2013 (13)
    • August 2013 (14)
    • July 2013 (16)
    • June 2013 (13)
    • May 2013 (23)
    • April 2013 (29)
    • March 2013 (31)
    • February 2013 (28)
    • January 2013 (31)
    • December 2012 (29)
    • November 2012 (30)
    • October 2012 (31)
    • September 2012 (30)
    • August 2012 (31)
    • July 2012 (31)
    • June 2012 (30)
    • May 2012 (31)
    • April 2012 (30)
    • March 2012 (31)
    • February 2012 (16)
  • Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

    Join 45 other followers

Blog at WordPress.com.

WPThemes.


Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • Searcher-Seeker
    • Join 45 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Searcher-Seeker
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Copy shortlink
    • Report this content
    • View post in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
%d bloggers like this: