"No
good deed goes unpunished."
I'm
sure you've heard the saying. A gentlemen said it to me a few months
ago after helping out a young couple and then getting burned in the
process. While I don't embrace the philosophy behind the saying, I
certainly understand the feeling. Most likely anyone who has done
good deeds has at some point felt "punished" by doing so.
So
why bother? I had a friend who donated a load of fire wood to someone
and in the end was accused of stealing something. Afterward he said
to me, "That's what you get for trying to help." Is that
true? Should we have any expectations when we help people? Does
expecting some kind of "reward" for doing good deeds ruin
them? I doubt a blog post can answer much of these questions in
detail, but I will at least offer a few insights that wiser people
have taught me and hope it's helpful to some.
I've
recently had a number of experiences where doing something good and
helpful has caused some personal frustration and extra work. I've
found myself annoyed, tired, and feeling sorry for myself. Then I
read verses like 2 Thessalonians 3:13: "As
for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good." How? What
am I missing? It seems lately I've been doing good deeds as if I
didn't believe in God. I've been doing good for good's sake instead
of for God's sake. Doing something just because you should often
drains your joy and leaves the soul parched. It becomes mere duty.
The bible teaches us to do everything for the glory of God (1
Corinthians 10:31). Christians should do what God says is right and
good because in doing it we enjoy more of him (John 14:23).
Notice
the way Jesus often talks: "But when you give a feast, invite
the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed,
because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the
resurrection of the just" (Luke 14:13-14); "But love your
enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your
reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High..."(Luke
6:35). Notions like repayment and reward sound odd when talking about
doing God's will, but notice that he asks us not to expect any
repayment from people because the repayment and reward comes from
God. This reward also has nothing to do with money or possessions and
everything to do with being in relationship with the Triune God and
experiencing his presence. God is the reward. He is the treasure. In
his presence there is fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore
(Psalm 16:11).
Is
this some form of selfishness? Are we using people when we do good
for God's sake? Here's how one pastor answers those questions: "No.
It’s because part of the greater joy we seek in God, by
doing them good, is the inclusion of them in our joy. Our joy in God
would be expanded by their joy in God. We are not using them for our
greater joy. We are wooing them into our greater joy, and desiring
that they become part of it."
This
is true love. And the God who is love is to be our motivation.
Philip
