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4A ®jje 1) eralb <©a?£tt£ Tuesday, December 7,2021
Opinions
Ruffin's Renderings: Righteous men
BY MIKE RUFFIN
mffinml@gmail.com
Matthew 1:19 says that
Joseph was “a righteous
man.”
We could use more
righteous men these
days.
1 say that as a man. I’m
allowed to talk about my
own kind.
Men catch a lot of flak
these days. We deserve
much of it.
1 hate to put so much
pressure on them, but 1
suspect that women will
have to get us out of the
mess we’ve made. 1 hope
we men will partner with
you in doing so. And 1
hope we’ll do so with
good will, good inten
tions, and humble spirits.
Women may have to
save the world, but righ
teous men—men who
are righteous in the way
Joseph was—could help.
So what makes Joseph
a righteous man? Let’s go
to the text.
Joseph learns that
Mary is pregnant. This is
unsettling news because
they haven’t consum
mated their marriage
relationship. So Joseph
naturally assumes that
Mary has been unfaithful.
This isn’t necessarily
a case of Joseph having
several possibilities to
choose from and jump
ing to the worst possible
conclusion. Given the
circumstances, he prob
ably can’t imagine what
other explanation there
could be.
On the other hand,
one wonders if Joseph
talked to Mary about
the situation. The text
doesn’t say, but we’d like
to think he did.
While we should
exercise caution in try
ing to harmonize Luke
and Matthew’s narra
tives—we should take
each Gospel’s particular
approach to the story on
its own terms, since the
writers had reasons for
telling it in the ways they
did—we know that Mary
has a story to tell. She
knows she is pregnant.
And she knows
she hasn’t had
sexual inter
course.
To throw
caution to the
wind for a mo
ment, we might
observe from
Luke’s narrative
that she has
received divine
insight into why
she is in the
situation she’s in,
If Joseph asked Mary
what happened—and
we hope he has—then
he must either accept or
reject Mary’s story
If she told it, he evi
dently didn’t believe her.
We live in a time when
we are encouraged to
believe women when
they tell us what has
happened to them. Such
encouragement is war
ranted. We should take
them seriously. Believing
should be our impulse,
not skepticism.
Granted, the story Jo
seph is asked to believe
is incredible. It may even
be unbeliev
able.
So Joseph
has to decide
what to do. We
wish he had
believed Mary’s
incredible and
unbelievable
story, but he
didn’t.
The text tells
us that we see
Joseph’s righ
teousness in the way he
decides to implement his
decision.
Life in many ancient
cultures, including that
of first-century Palestine,
revolved around honor
and shame. If Mary has
committed adultery, then
Joseph has the right to
divorce her publicly By
doing so, he could move
toward restoring his hon
or. How would he restore
his honor? He would
do so by taking Mary’s
honor away from her. His
replenished honor would
come at the price of her
increased, and perhaps
insurmountable, shame.
Matthew tells us
that Joseph doesn’t do
that: “[Mary’s] husband
Joseph, being a righteous
man and unwilling to
expose her to public dis
grace, planned to dismiss
her quietly” (v. 19).
We probably think
of a righteous man as
one who does right and
stands up for what is
right. We may even think
of a righteous man as
one who stands up for
himself and refuses to be
humbled or shamed.
But Joseph shows us
that a righteous man
goes beyond doing “the
right thing.” He shows
us that a righteous man
stands up for what is
right in a better way.
Compassion and kind
ness condition his righ
teousness.
Joseph wants to do
the right thing. Maybe
he even feels like he has
no choice but to do what
his culture regards as
the right thing, namely,
divorcing Mary.
But he won’t do it in a
cruel way. He won’t act
in anger. He won’t heap
contempt on Mary.
Joseph sees the light
when an angel visits him
to explain. Once the an
gel tells Joseph the truth
of the matter, he and
Mary establish a home in
which they will receive
and raise the child who
will be the Savior.
In doing so, Joseph
accepts some damage to
his reputation, but prob
ably not as much as Mary
experiences. Whatever
they must bear, they will
bear it together.
Joseph is righteous
because he acts with
humility, with grace, with
kindness, and with com
passion.
We could use more
such righteous men
these days.
Mike Ruffin is a Barnesville native
who lives and works in Macon. His
new book, Praying with Matthew,
is available at helwys.com and at
Amazon.
You heard it here first,
my friends; progress!
KAY S. PEDROTTI
kayspedrotti@gmail.com
While there may be
other incidences of
“progress” in Barnesville-
Lamar County, the most
recent
and
most
promis
ing is
“Rebuild
Lamar,”
working
title for
a group
of dedi
cated citizens intent on
improving substandard
housing here.
And did 1 not pledge
in a recent column that
we would see progress,
and improvements, and
people from all walks
of life, all races and
economics, working
together for the good
of all? Yep - you heard
it here first. 1 base my
statements on a meet
ing that took place last
week, a gathering of
unprecedented promise.
There were 25-plus
people gathered at
First United Method
ist Church, which
has opened its scope
of good works to al
low “Rebuild Lamar”
to operate under its
501©3 designation as
a non-profit. There’s
a separate story with
the initial facts - much
more to be thought
out - but I just had to
toot my own horn a
little bit in my “opinion
piece!” I’m really proud
for the citizens, not for
me - except it does my
heart good to be right
in a prediction once in
a while!
Now let me cite some
more evidence of prog
ress - thanks to Ricky
and Heather Stanley of
S1PM Roofing, the Depot
Plaza is again being
decked out - this time
for Christmas. Their
cohorts, Dwayne and
Tammy Davenport of
Two Moos, a new down
town coffee/sweets/ice
cream shop, are just as
dedicated as the Stan
leys to “market down
town.” Such crowds
as occupied the Plaza
during the scarecrow
exhibit were expected
for the Christmas “do
ings” on parade night -
and that can’t help but
give folks a chance to
shop downtown.
If you don’t think
downtown gets ignored,
think on this: 1 have
counted at least 25 or 30
people who walked into
the Lamar Arts Depot
Gallery and said, “Wow!
1 didn’t know this was in
Barnesville!” We found
that our number of
visitors goes up when
we have an exhibit or
program in the Depot
while something else is
bringing folks to town.
Sometimes people even
get enthusiastic about
Barnesville being a city
that supports the arts
- and such folks as that
have made my tenure as
Lamar Arts president a
real joy.
Another signpost
toward a better future
happens at the E.P.
Roberts Center every
second Thursday of the
month at 7 p.m. It’s the
Community Improve
ment Task Force’s
forum-type meeting
in which everyone is
invited to share ideas
about everything from
gang prevention to
playgrounds to literacy
to trash pickups and
beautification. Mod
erator April Smith Scott
compiles data and
opinions for develop
ing actual solutions.
Actively underway is
a search to provide a
gym for young people to
enjoy basketball, karate
lessons, or whatever
programs can be spon
sored and supervised in
the community.
Thanks to The Herald
Gazette, I get to know
about all these things
happening. 1 believe this
atmosphere will maybe
not stop violence on the
streets, but eventually
eclipse the warped at
titude that this is a dan
gerous city and county.
Only the residents can
help the police lower
the crime rate by just
simply this: “If you see
something, say some
thing.” There are indeed
ways to talk to police
about bad things and
still remain anonymous.
And you heard it all
here first. Thank your lo
cal newspaper, please!
Kay S. Pedrotti has spent some 50
years writing for newspapers. She
is active in the Lamar County com
munity. She lives in Milner with her
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Whatever it takes to build great futures
There is no simple
way to achieve success.
It takes a community of
people, a safe environ
ment, quality programs
& unique experiences.
Barnesville-Lamar Boys
& Girls Club will do
whatever it takes to build
great futures for children
in Lamar County.
When you support the
Barnesville-Lamar Boys
& Girls Club, you turn
everyday moments into
great futures for kids who
need us most. Your dona
tion to Barnesville-Lamar
Boys & Girls Club will
ensure kids and families
can continue accessing
food, everyday necessi
ties, learning support and
positive adult influences.
Club members will take
part in sports and rec
reation, education, the
arts, health and wellness,
workforce readiness and
character, and leader
ship. We will help them
overcome the toughest
times in the year ahead.
Together, let’s give kids
the moments they need
now to make great fu
tures possible.
Together we will
inspire and empower the
youth of Lamar County
to become productive,
responsible and caring
citizens. Their next great
moment can start with
you!
To make a donation
visit WWW.bgcncg.com/
barnesville or contact
Kellie Mercer, Resource
Development Chair
lamarcountyfcc@gmail.
com
Giving Toward 2022
Together - Great Futures
Start Here
KELLIE MERCER
SUBMITTED
Boys & Girls Club members include back row (left to right) Zor Reyona Sullivan, Damarkus
Hutcherson, Renee Horton, Za’Jiyah Sullivan, Brielle Taylor, Hunter Mayo and MaKiyah Watts.
Front row (left to right) Tre Green, Ryan Wooten, Elizabeth Jetter, Jaydan Ingram, Ryleigh
Mayo, Serenity Williams and Brandon Taylor.
CALENDAR ITEM;
Email news@barnes-
ville.com or call 770.358.
NEWS to have an event
published as a calen
dar item in The Herald
Gazette.
• The Three Rivers
Regional Commission will
hold meetings on Thurs
day, December 9 at Turin
Town Hall, 47 Turin Rd.,
Turin, GA. The Planning
and Projects Committee
will meet at 11 a.m. and
the Finance, Audit and
Administration Commit
tee will meet at 12:30
p.m. and Three Rivers
Regional Commission will
meet at 2 p.m. For infor
mation call 678-692-0510.
• The annual Cookie
Sale to benefit local chil
dren will be held Satur
day, Dec. 11 from 9 a.m.
to 2 p.m. in the Family
Life Center of Barnesville
Church of the Nazarene
at 744 Veterans Parkway
at the corner of Thom-
aston Street and Hwy
41. Choose your favorite
sweets for $6 per pound.
• The Martin-Moore
American Legion Post
25, is now meeting again
at the newly remodeled
Women’s Club House
on Stafford Avenue, the
fourth Thursday of each
month at 5 p.m. for the
winter months. Return to
6 p.m. in April 2022. All
veterans are invited.
In memory of
Elizabeth Sellers
Dec. 5-11
10 years ago
Trojan head coach
Jason Strickland was
named region coach of
the year and 14 Trojans
were named to the all
region football team.
They were: Brandon
Higdon, Jarvis Merritt,
Joe Peters, Johntavious
Walker, Lance Aus
tin, Lawrence Austin,
Maurice Bloodser, Qua
Searcy, Shavontae Harris,
Tyler Scandrett, Nicolas
Heminger, Denarius Ruth
erford, Deontae Barnes
and Fredrick Walker.
25 years ago
Going 160 days longer
than expected so far,
the construction of the
Milner Fire Station was
to the point where the
city’s fire and pump
trucks could be parked
inside. The station was
being built with $50,000
in SPLOST funds.
50 years ago
The LCCHS Troja-
nettes were 4-0 on the
young basketball sea
son. Leading the team
the previous week were
Janice Sullivan, Omega
Penn, Sarah Warner and
Earnestine Byrd.
100 years ago
Sheriff Z.T. Elliott
raided two stills last
Friday and Saturday and
captured a bootlegger
at Aldora last Saturday
night, in the latter case
sending a man by the
name of Shaffer to Macon
to appear before the
United States court, a
revenue officer being
with the sheriff when the
capture was made.
The stills were located
off Liberty Hill Road and
along Eady Creek. Five
quarts of shine and 500
gallons of beer were
destroyed.
Zi)t Heraltr <&a?ette
barnesville.com
770.358.NEWS
P.0. Box 220
Publishers
Staff
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