Bulletin Articles
No good deed goes unpunished - (Do good anyway!)
The saying has been around for a long time and it occurred to me that it is quoted often. It is easy to think to yourself, “why did I even bother”, when it feels like your efforts come back to you with negative results. I was reminded of the time I went out of my way to get a close friend an interview for a good job when he was struggling to provide for his family. I was contacted a few weeks later by the interviewer who asked me why I sent him in. I was in shock that he asked and then he let me know that the “friend” refused to answer any questions he deemed to be too personal. I spent several hours contacting people and setting up this interview. My wife had been trying different ways to support a kiddo who was very challenging. She looked for small successes to celebrate in order to make the student and his parents know that she noticed and cared in hopes that he would show improvement. She went out of her way to single him out in front of the class for a small positive, emailed home, and asked his teachers to recognize him as a Student of the Month. The very next day her inbox was filling up with notifications of poor behaviors and failed assignments.
While I could keep sharing and I am certain you also have examples that come to mind of your own experiences, I will refrain and remind you, as I was by the apostle Peter - I Peter 3:8-9 Finally, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, affectionate, compassionate, and humble. Do NOT return evil for evil or insult for insult, but instead bless others because you were called to inherit a blessing.
The devil has a way to wear us down and I feel he has no greater weapon than to turn our positive efforts into negative outcomes aimed directly back toward us. How easy is it to say, “I have been there and helped and it didn’t do any good”-Do good anyway! “And let us not grow weary of doing good for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:9-10)
