Firstly; Do no Harm
This is a creed that Surgeons often remind themselves of, when they have a sick or injured patient right there in front of them in desperate need of some urgent medical help or surgery, there for them to perform that critical operation upon, “Firstly; Do no Harm.” Carefully remove that object, whether it be a bullet, a spear, a work tool or an unwelcome growth or disease, just remove, repair, close up the wound and leave as tiny a mark behind as possible so that it is nigh on impossible for anyone to ever find the place where that surgery ever occurred.
We all know of people who are so caustic and abrasive, their tongue is as a perpetual slashing sword, wounding either ignorantly or intentionally, leaving behind both superficial as well as often very deep scars. We all carry wounds and scars from the intentional and accidental interjections of friend or foes. Some carry their wounds as weeping and festering sores, moaning over them daily, while others just forgive and forget, pardoning the ignorance and failings of their attackers, the wounds heal quickly by “The Love of God as found in Christ Jesus our Lord,” and on the surface they show no scars, but deep down, the healing slowly and steadily continues onwards.
We do not cherish the wounds that others inflict upon us, through ignorance or by evil intention, but we do experience the hurt and the wounds, so let us adopt a new mantra, “Firstly; Do no Harm.” Matthew 5:11 “Blessed are ye, when [men] shall revile you, and persecute [you], and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great [is] your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” 1 Peter 2:22-23 “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed [himself] to him that judgeth righteously:” Matthew 5:38-39 “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: but I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the left also.” Matthew 6:15 “But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Matthew 23:34 “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.”
1 Peter 2:19-25 ERV “One of you might have to suffer even when you have done nothing wrong. If you think of God and bear the pain, this pleases God. But if you are punished for doing wrong, there is no good reason to praise you for bearing that punishment. But if you suffer for doing good and you are very patient, this pleases God. This is what you were chosen to do. Christ gave you an example to follow. He suffered for you. So you should do the same as he did: “He never sinned, and he never told a lie.” People insulted him, but he did not insult them back. He suffered, but he did not threaten anyone. No, he let God take care of him. God is the one who judges rightly. Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross. He did this so that we would stop living for sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you were healed. You were like sheep that went the wrong way. But now you have come back to the Shepherd and Protector of your lives.” In all situations in your life, “Firstly; Do no Harm.”
So next time someone is rude and aggressive towards you, before you give them a piece of your mind in either attack or defense, “Firstly; Do no Harm.” When at work, and you are not sure how much more you can take, and then even more is dumped upon you, “Firstly; Do no Harm.” At home, domestic problems get confronting, “Firstly; Do no Harm.” At the Parties, Work, Malls and Shops, you feel somebody is totally out-of-line, “Firstly; Do no Harm.” God loves you so much, so much so that he even nailed his one and only son to Calvary’s Cross, just in case you might one day stop fighting him long enough, from just continually warring and resisting against him, to accept his Salvation, and in love and compassion, he, “Firstly; Does no Harm.” You and I probably deserve way more than we currently receive from God, but his merciful compassion guides, “Firstly; Do no Harm.” If God can show compassion to all those who hate him, as well as to all those who love and adore him, why can we not be more Heavenly minded, showing way more compassion, slowly count to ten, praying for compassion, and to always remember, “Firstly; Do no Harm.” Quote; “Nothing can be more offensive to God than for men, through religious bigotry, to bring suffering upon those who are the purchase of the Saviour’s blood.” [DA 488] Quote; “There is nothing so offensive to God or so dangerous to the human soul as pride and self-sufficiency. Of all sins it is the most hopeless, the most incurable. {COL 154} Matthew 18:6 “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and [that] he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” “Firstly; Do no Harm.” The Golden Rule; “Treat others just the way you would wish that they would treat you back, just the way you like to be respected.” Before you “Give it to them,” “Firstly; Do no Harm.” You have been oft wounded and afflicted, let “The Buck Stop with Me,” refuse to “Pay it Forwards,” show Godly mercy and compassion, they are hurting, “Hurt people, Hurt People,” just become “Healed People, Healing People.” So in all things, “Firstly; Does no Harm.”
