The three wise monkeys are the
visual representation of the Japanese proverb, “Hear no evil. See no evil.
Speak no evil.” The monkeys, or rather, the apes are named
Kikazaru, covering his ears, who
hears no evil; Mizaru, covering his eyes, who sees no
evil; and Iwazaru,
covering his mouth, who speaks no evil.
Our culture has embraced the 3 monkeys motif, putting them on posters, statuettes, t-shirts, and of course internet memes, because they give ancient philosophical support to
our very contemporary desire to not get involved.
We mind our own
business. We stay out of it. We let it go.
We don’t snitch. But not because we’re cowardly, or selfish,
or heartless. No, it’s because we are
enlightened with the ancient wisdom of “Hear nothing. See nothing.
Say nothing.”
Blah, blah, blah.
The truth is we like the 3
monkeys because we really don’t give a Shizaru.
Shizaru is the name of the 4th wise monkey, the one with his hand on his hand. Yeah, the real ancient Japanese pictorial shows four, not three apes.
The proverb actually goes:
Hear
no evil.
See
no evil.
Speak
no evil.
Do no evil.
That last one? That last one throws a monkey wrench (Sorry,
couldn’t help myself.) in your passive, isolationist plans. At least he does if you’re a Christian.
Therefore, to him who knows
to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. (James 4: 17)
Christians who do nothing
when we could do something to help are, according to our Bible, doing evil.
It’s not enough for me to
not hurt people. As a follower
of Jesus, I HAVE TO actively help people.
Doing no evil means helping my
brother and sister Christians.
Whoever has this world’s
goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does
the love of God abide in him? (1 John 3: 17)
Doing no evil means helping the
wounded and abandoned “neighbors” outside of my culture.
But a certain Samaritan, as
he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion. (from Luke
10: 31-37)
Doing no evil means helping
means turning toward the needs of the hungry, homeless, strangers,
incarcerated, and sick, as if I were helping Jesus Himself.
And the King will answer and
say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of
the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ (from Matthew 25:
31-46)
And it doesn’t count if I just
throw a tract and a cliché at them and send them on their way
If a brother or sister
is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in
peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are
needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if
it does not have works, is dead. (James 2: 15-17)
I don’t listen for evil
things about people. (Kikaru)
I don’t look for the evil in
people. (Mizaru)
I don’t go around telling the
most evil things I can about people. (Iwazaru)
That doesn’t mean that I have
to be the naïve or stupid Christian who doesn’t know when I’m being played.
But it does mean that no matter
how much people disappoint, I have to give a Shizaru.
Therefore, as we have
opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the
household of faith. (Galatians 6:10)
---Anderson T. Graves
II is a writer,
community organizer and consultant for education, ministry, and rural
leadership development.
Rev. Anderson T. Graves II is
pastor of Miles Chapel CME
Church in Fairfield, Alabama; executive director of the
Substance Abuse Youth Networking Organization (SAYNO); and director
of rural leadership development for the National Institute for Human
Development (NIHD).
Email atgravestwo2@aol.com
You can help support Rev.
Graves’ work by visiting his personal
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Support by check or money
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P O Box 132
Fairfield, Al 35064
