The ‘Do Good Whatever’ Principle

I’ve enjoyed reading the story of Leroy Logan, his achievement against all the odds… his progression within the metropolitan police… overcoming hostility, racism and prejudice… being repeatedly overlooked for promotion. He became ‘an advocate for good relationships between the police and the UK’s minority ethnic communities, a mentor to young people, and an advisor on knife crime and social justice.’

He speaks of retiring in 2013 from ‘the testosterone-driven macho environment, intolerant to difference and demanding total conformity to the norms and values of the culture…’

Some things don’t change. We see this every day on the news. Powerful world leaders declare that their way is right. Ordinary people are expected to fit in. The weak and the marginalised suffer.

Despite repeated opposition Logan’s Christian faith worked itself out with persistent patience and determined hard work. It’s the ‘Do Good Whatever’ principle.

I was reading the story of Joseph this morning. Repeatedly, through no fault of his own, Joseph is treated badly… thrown in a pit, sold as a slave, forgotten in prison… My ‘Step by Step’ book says, ‘Even when things go wrong he never grows weary of doing good! It gets him into trouble but doing right is what he believes in.’

Thousands of years before Leroy Logan, Joseph suffered injustice and prejudice and lived by the ‘Do Good Whatever’ principle.

St Paul believed in the ‘Do Good Whatever’ principle too, writing: ‘Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people,’

Elsewhere he says: ‘We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies… And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.’

And me? Sometimes I just want an easy life. Today I’m praying that I will be a little better at living out the ‘Do Good Whatever’ principle.