PASTOR DAVE’S MUSINGS FROM THE HEARTLAND

November 6, 2022

FOUR WAY TEST

Thursday night, October 27, the Plymouth Rotary Club hosted at the REES Theatre an opportunity to meet candidates running for county, state, and national offices.  The professional sponsors for the event were REES theatre and U.S. Granules Corporation.  The media sponsors were Max98.3 and the Pilot News.  Doug Gerhke was the moderator for the evening and Bryan Howard served as time keeper.  The main floor of the theatre was almost filled.

As a part of his introductory remarks Doug Gehrke made mention of the Rotary Four Way Test.

                “Of all the things we think, say, and do.

                Is it the truth?

                Is it fair to all concerned?

                Will it build good will and better friendships?

                Will it be beneficial to all concerned?”

Rotary started as a group of business men who came together to share common interests, mutually benefit their business, and make their community a better place in which to live.  The Four Way Test served as a guideline for business ethics, professional conduct, and personal conduct.

At the meeting on the 27^th Doug suggested that the Four Way Test might also serve as a guideline for seeking public office.  It would be interesting to calculate what percentage of present day political dialogue could meet the test.  As near as I could tell most, if not all, of the presentations by the candidates could have passed the test.  One of the reasons for this is that the format for the evening allowed each candidate to make a short presentation that forced them to focus on the issues which they considered most important. It did not allow time for personal attacks or extraneous material.

As Paul is coming to the end of his letter to the Philippians he makes the following appeal: “Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:8, 9).”  Paul’s appeal and the Rotary Four Way Test have a lot in common.  If the apostle was alive today, he would make a good Rotarian.

In their presentations a number of the candidates talked about the importance of public service.  They saw themselves as being called to be servants of the people.  This fits well with the Rotary motto “Service above Self.”  It is also an important aspect of what Jesus has to say.  “But Jesus called them to him and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them.  It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant (Matthew 20:26).”

I would think that all of us would want our public officials to be able to pass the Rotary Four Way Test.  However, can we expect more of them than we expect of ourselves?  What a wonderful world this would be if everyone followed the Four Way Test!