Editorial May 2, 1994 Issue

Private matters

Russ Gerber

One of the tougher lessons for me to learn lately has been how much of what is strictly other people's business is none of my business. Whether it's someone's personal grievance with another or the indiscretions of a celebrity or a friend—you get the picture—it seems that private matters are increasingly being made public.

Some things, of course, do concern us all, such as our country's political situation or crime in our community. We shouldn't ignore what concerns the welfare of all. But what I'm finding demanding, when I'm exposed to something that clearly is not my business, is resisting being drawn into it and being judgmental or condemnatory. We're all familiar with this temptation. Are there any of us who haven't heard or read something provocative that wasn't our business but that seemed to prod us to get involved and to pass judgment?

So how should we respond? There are lessons throughout the Bible, especially in the teachings of Christ Jesus, that help us learn what is appropriate conduct. These lessons have, at their core, foundational spiritual precepts.

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