Do Good

Good Morning All,

If you pay attention to your life and to the world, it’s easy to understand why we sometimes feel helpless and unable to come close to helping others, those whom we know as well as the stranger, resolve their needs and challenges in life. We become overwhelmed by life in general. It’s part of the human condition…some even call it “compassion fatigue”—we wear ourselves out in response to the needs of others. I don’t know how you respond, but this is when I have found myself throwing my hands up and saying to God things like:

“OK God…What do you want from me anyway? Why do you expect me to care so much? What good do my seemingly insignificant efforts really do to alleviate the suffering and pain of so many?” Or, why are some folks so difficult to love? Am I the only one in my family who can figure this out? Or, what’s up with the need to compromise or work things out?

Sometimes I want to put up a sign that says…Gone fishin’…see you next year!” :) Perhaps your personal pleas to God are a bit different, depending on the circumstances, but just about the time you and I might want to give up and cast it all into the wind, along comes this gentle reminder from Jesus found in Matthew 11: 28-30: “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest…learn from me…for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls…”

In addition to these comforting words of Jesus, I also offer you another reading that might help guide our thoughts and actions that express scriptural direction and hope: “Paradoxical Commandments,” written by Dr. Kent Keith, when he was a sophomore at Harvard in 1968. He wrote them as a challenge for student leaders, “to always do what is right and good, even if others don’t appreciate it. You have to keep striving, he writes, “no matter what, because if you don’t, many of the things that need to be done in our world, will never get done.” So, try this on for sighs :) :

The Paradoxical Commandments by Dr. Kent M. Keith

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.

© Copyright Kent M. Keith 1968, renewed 2001

Jesus invites us to share our burdens, frustrations and challenges with him and with each other, remembering that God has also equipped us with minds to think, hearts to feel and hands to help, even when we least desire to do so…

So, let’s go out and do what is right and good, even if we don’t feel like it..after all, many of the things that need doing in this world will never get done…I will if you will…
Blessings, Joanne