When Harm is Unavoidable

As my profile says, I am a firefighter (and soon to be a certified first responder) and a pastor. I also volunteer each week at a place called Sundown Ranch working with teenage boys that are attempting to find recovery from chemical dependence of all types.

Each of these activities places me in people's lives at times when they are often not at their best. I walk along side of those struggling with sin, experiencing medical problems or other loss due to fire and accidents, and I walk the journey of recovery with families and their children. Despite the problems that can be faced in each of these situations, it is still a huge blessing to serve in these ways.

Each of these activities has either an explicit or implicit nature of confidentiality. These activities also have, however, regulations regarding events or circumstances that must be reported to various agencies (medical, legal and otherwise). Homicide, suicide, abuse, etc are all examples of reportable events.

This past week, I had the difficult duty of reporting such an event.

When the General Rules require us to do no harm and to do good, these are not always mutually exclusive. Nor are they mutually compatible. Sometimes, as my recent experience shows, doing good can be harmful (or maybe that should be restated to say doing the greatest good). In order to do good, I needed to report this incident (this is doing good ethically and morally and doing good by protecting others); but in doing said good, I did harm (in a relative sense I am sure some of you will tell me!) to the individual that was reported. The outcome of what happens regarding a reported event (punishment, justice, or sometimes nothing at all) is completely out of my control. But confidence is still broken and trust tarnished and potential consequences set in motion.

All of this is to say that following the General Rules is not as black and white as it may seem. There are not always cut and dry answers regarding how to put them in practice together. Sometimes, when considering the greatest good or the good of others, doing no harm is not possible.

How do you handle situations that seem to put the General Rules in conflict with one another?