Physician, Heal Thyself…

One of the challenging statements made by the Master was the one wherein He repeated the proverb: “Physician, heal thyself.” There is an interesting idea that sometimes seems to be particularly prevalent- the idea that everyone should reform everyone- except himself.

Helping others to see something they can’t see, or to do something they should do, or to be something they should be is an important and real responsibility. We are literally our brother’s keeper in more ways than one, and nothing that influences others is ever altogether outside our concern. But it seems that there should sometimes be some shorter solution than to have everyone reforming everyone, except himself. If we may borrow a phrase from economics: Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could eliminate the middle man?- which, in this sense, would simply mean that everyone would take a particular and personal interest in improving himself.

But almost everyone, it seems, can tell almost everyone else what he would do if he were someone else besides himself. The proposals for curing our ills are innumerable. And sometimes a person may confidently offer to run the world, or some considerable segment of it, who can’t even keep his own affairs in order. Often good counsel comes from people who haven’t lived the way they would want others to live. And perhaps good counsel is good counsel no matter where it comes from- whether from successful or unsuccessful sources. But the most convincing kind of counsel, the safest kind of counsel, comes from sources that have proved their own prescription.

Self-conquest, self-mastery, self-reformation, and the sincere living of a good life may entitle a man in a measure to prescribe for other people’s problems. But planning and proposing for others what we can’t live up to ourselves would seem to leave a little something lacking. A golden rule of reformation might read somewhat like this: Do unto yourself whatsoever ye would do unto others. To repeat the proverb cited by the Saviour: “Physician, heal thyself.”