The only investment
which never fails ...

"Goodness is the only investment which never fails"
~ Thoreau

Good question! Here's my take on it:

I knew an old Jewish deli owner once, who was fond of grinning at you and saying "No good deed goes unpunished" It was his way of laughing, I guess, instead of raging, or weeping.

So many times it seems that "the world" does indeed punish the "do-gooder".  Well, it sure can feel that way! 

We all have had times where we've had only the best of intentions, only to have our "plans" fall apart, or worse, explode.   It can seem that we try to do "good" and only miss the mark, or worse, hurt someone.  Or, some conniving person with a shadow on their heart sees our shine, and assumes "good" is intellectually equivalent to "idiotic", and tries to take advantage of us.  Or does, because we extend our kindness, and our trust, and they "take advantage"...

But think about it...

Doing good, as much as you can, every time you can see the opportunity to do so, is NOT for the other guy.  It's not.  Really.  It's for one's self. It's a fundamentally "selfish" act.  (I mean in the psychological/clinical sense)

No humanitarian is unselfish.  Why?  Well, think about it this way...  the humanitarian does good, because NOT to do what he perceives he can and "should" do, would cause him pain, perhaps unspeakable agony of soul and conscience.  He does good, to avoid his own suffering.  Not to gain glory, or brownie points in heaven, but simply because to see a need, and walk on by, without answering that need, would cause him grief.  To do "good", relieves an urgent need he feels.  This is basic to the "pleasure/pain" principle.  We do what we do because it brings us pleasure, and to not do it would bring us pain.  This is not "good" or "bad", in  a clinical sense, you must understand, it is simply "background" motivation.   The "unconscious", if you will.

The key here, though, is not the background mechanism, but the fact that the person has learned, through his (or her) life's experience, the lesson that doing "good" is a "necessity".  The lessons came the way any lesson of life comes, from our parents, our teachers, our experiences, our friends, our reading, but long before we were able to sit still an listen in church, that fundamental lesson was learned in our childhood.  We then proceeded to either grow with and through it, or, sadly, allow the bitterness and mercenary mindset of others stunt it or twist it, until we have the sad and lonely attitude, of "what's in it for me"....  How horrible, how sad....

Doing good causes inner growth.  No matter what the outcome, the simple intent to help, to improve some situation, or some person, or some "thing", even if the effort fails, even though we feel "taken advantage of", every time we reach out, the effort alone teaches us, strengthens us, and causes our spirit to soar.  Always.

The trick is to learn to not allow the failed effort to steal the joy of the lessons learned.  One way to avoid that crushing sense of defeat, is to change one's perception, from looking at things as "problems" and changing our point of view to that of overcoming "challenges".   The other way, is to leave behind the idea that there is such a thing as a "no-win" situation.

If you can truly believe that there is no such thing, that eventually, with enough perseverance, each challenge can be met, they will be.  Nothing is "impossible" though God, and every single good thing you do, is a seed for the Lord.

Doing good is easy, when it's for a good cause, or for a good person, but what about the one's that let you down?  You trusted them, and  they "took advantage", they connived, plotted, stole, cheated, hurt you?  What about them?   Is that a "good deed" being "punished"...  No!   Emphatically, NO.

They hurt themselves more, through their evil, their negativity, than they could ever hurt someone with a good heart.  The only way they can really permanently hurt a "do-gooder" is if they can convince that person to stop reaching out, to stop doing good, to retreat into a shell of bitterness and pain, and wall themselves off from the light of the world.  Then the evil One truly "wins".

But what if you Shine?  What if you refuse to be beaten down?  Do good anyway?   Even if the kid you took in on that cold night stole from you in the morning?   Or the co-worker you helped took "all the credit"?  What if you could help them again, and you actually do?  They KNOW what they did, and yet, you continue to reach out to them, you continue to be kind, to "do the right thing" - Christ called that planting seeds, and who knows where that seed will take root?

I'm not willing to take the chance that I could throw away a wonderful opportunity, given to me by God, just because the person before me has challenges he needs to overcome.   I can only work on me.  They need to work on themselves.  I can only hope and pray that MY example will sink into their minds and hearts and take root someday.  The only thing I can do is make sure that MY example, my "walk", my "shine", is one worth seeing.

The person you reach out to, is not the only one watching either.  Our children see, our neighbors see, our friends see.  (I bet you thought I was going to say God sees, huh? Well, He does, but I figure that's kind of a "given"...) 

What do you want your child to see?  Or the world to see? That you are a "do-gooder", or bitter, and only "do the right thing", when it "gets" you something?  You're on stage no matter what you do, no matter what choice you make...  and as Geddy Lee said, "If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice"...  might as well decide to make a "good" one.

No, goodness, as an investment, never fails.  If you treat it exactly as that, an investment, not a "means to an end", then it will never fail you.

Think of it as a seed, one that has the potential to grow in every heart it touches, including yours.

writen by Lisa M. Alekna, copyright 1999