Suppose a contingent of professionals from the World Health Organization were flown into a remote area of a country to help a people group that was dying off. When they arrive, they immediately find conditions to be much worse than expected. Although the people are intelligent and productive, having ample food, adequate housing and a reasonable climate, disease is rampant, children are emaciated, and life spans are short. Two key issues are quickly identified.

1. Almost everyone’s teeth are rotting, and their gums are receding.
2. Almost everyone is sniffling or scratching.

The reasons for these deadly issues are surprisingly easy to identify and rectify. No one is washing their hands or brushing their teeth. So, acting in common sense and on behalf of the people, the health officials move quickly to remedy the issues. First, they fly in massive quantities of anti-bacterial soap, toothpaste, floss and tooth brushes. Next, they set about to educate the people on these two simple practices of good hygiene. But, to their shock and dismay, the people recoil at the idea of getting their hands soapy or sticking a brush in their mouth. They are highly offended that their way of life is being criticized. Mind you, there were a few who accept help and will enjoy the resulting health, but most think it silly and inconvenient. Some even call a meeting and try to expel the officials and make laws against hand-washing and tooth-brushing. The contingent is shocked and dismayed at the people’s response to their kind efforts to introduce healthy hygiene practices to the community.

That brings me to three questions for the reader:

1. Are hand-washing and tooth-brushing practices philosophies or practices based on universal health principles?
2. Would it be right for the health officials to leave these people without a knowledge of healthy hygiene, just because they are not a part of their current culture?
3. Are the health professionals being arrogant or bigoted to push their hand-washing, tooth-brushing practices on this people group?

Consider this parallel story. A contingent of people live in a culture plagued by things like fractured families, violence, abuse, shame, depression and chemical addictions. They, on the other hand, are experiencing quite the opposite after having applied a few healthy moral practices. They can readily see how much better their neighbors could live if they would implement some simple practices to protect and improve their families. That brings us back to three questions similar to those above:

1. Aren’t there moral laws that are not opinions, but principles that work to make any culture healthier?
2. Would it be right for those people who have experienced healthier relationships to not try to help their culture?
3. Are people with high moral standards arrogant or bigoted to promote their morals and values?

My hope is that this simple example may help someone understand why those who have discovered that the morals values outlined in scripture make their social and spiritual lives vibrant and healthy, and why they are so eager to share them with others. They are not arrogant or bigoted; they are caring and generous people who want to see others enjoy a better life. In fact, it would be downright cruel not to share the wonderful practices that have made their lives morally clean and spiritually healthy. These practices might be called “moral hygiene.”

So, what are people who have discovered healthy principles to do? They should not be intimidated by those who think hand-washing and tooth-brushing are silly. Rather, they should share their knowledge. They should not be intimidated by those who think things like abstinence, honesty and modesty are silly. They should help them understand. They should also brace themselves, because not everyone will appreciate their kindness.

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