The four-way test

On February 9, 1961, a few businesspeople met at the Pheasant Café on Front Street. These were fruitful and grateful business leaders who wanted to give something back to the community. Together they founded the Rotary Club of Waseca, Minnesota. I am a member of this movement which began 65 years ago.

Our town is blessed to have several of these sorts of service clubs that cooperate with each other and with local businesses to improve our community and support the needy. One of the distinctives of the Rotary Club is an ethical code that I’d like to share with you.  It’s called The Four-Way Test of All We Think, Say or Do. We recite these four simple questions at every meeting: 

Is it the truth? 

Is it fair to all concerned? 

Will it build goodwill and better friendships? 

Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

This test was penned by a devout Christian who was also a Rotarian.  It is a simple moral compass for decision-making in business, leadership, and all other areas of life. For Christians, these questions reflect the life that Jesus invites his followers to exemplify in the world.

Is it the truth?

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). He doesn’t just speak the truth; he embodies the truth.  To live truthfully, then, means aligning our motives, words, and actions with God’s character. This kind of truth resists exaggeration, manipulation, and half-truths offered for personal gain. It takes courage to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth.  Truth is to be spoken in love (Ephesians 4:15), meaning that it is for the benefit of others, and may cost us something in the short term.  But the truth sets people free (John 8:32). 

Is it fair to all concerned?

To be fair means never to take advantage of someone’s weaker bargaining position. Jesus often spoke of justice for the poor and the disadvantaged. Throughout Scripture, God shows special concern for those who are overlooked, exploited, or marginalized. The prophet Micah calls us “to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).  Justice and compassion belong together. Fairness asks us to examine how our decisions affect not only ourselves, but our employees, families, communities, and future generations. It challenges us to consider who might bear the hidden cost of our personal gains.

Will it build goodwill and better friendships?

Christianity is a communal faith.  Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind”; and, “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:30,31). We are taught that love of our neighbors stands alongside our love of God as the greatest commandments. We must see each other with humility, respect, and a desire for understanding. Better friendships grow where people are seen not as competitors, but as neighbors who care for each other.

Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

The final question makes us look beyond self-interest. The apostle Paul urges, “Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4). Our “bottom line” is not measured only in financial terms, but in the flourishing of our community.  What we do, even in small things, contributes to the quality of life for all those around us.  

Taken together, the Four-Way Test reflects the moral wisdom of Jesus’ teaching: Love God. Love your neighbor. Bear good fruit. For Christians within Rotary, the Four-Way Test is a spiritual discipline. It is an examination of conscience that shapes decisions large and small. When these questions guide our actions, we participate in God’s ongoing work of redemption and reconciliation.

In a time of shocking scandals, we need to build ethical leaders more than ever.  The Four-Way Test offers guidance and inspiration. And for Christians, it becomes one more way to live out our faith in quiet and trustworthy action for the good of all.