I’m ticked. Patti and I have recently spent about $1,000 and over 20 hours or our time helping someone out of a very difficult situation and they in turn have completely abused their privileges and cut themselves off from all contact with us. We thought we were being prudent and wise with who we shared our limited resources with, but we still got scammed. To make it even worse, we recommended this person to someone else for help and they scammed that person too. So not only have we wasted time and money, but our reputation has been tarnished and another person has been hurt.
So my post today is not so much instruction as it is personal therapy. You’re invited to join me on the couch and listen in to my internal conversation.
Well, Herb, maybe that old adage you say you hate is true after all: “No good deed goes unpunished.”
Yes, maybe it is. I used to think that saying is a Satanic lie. Now I’m not so sure. It definitely seems to have come true in this case. I do feel like I’ve been punished for doing good.
Maybe meekness really is just weakness and you’ve been playing the chump all along.
No man likes to think he’s been a chump, like everyone in the room is in on the joke but him. Maybe this whole thing about doing good is just a joke and I haven’t gotten the punch line yet.
But what do you expect? You do believe we live in a fallen world, don’t you?
Well, it is hard to escape the impression that genuine evil does exist in the world and that people have been deeply affected by it.
So why do you think good will always be responded to appropriately?
It’s just difficult to believe that people can be so calloused and perverted when someone does something nice for them. But then, I guess that’s the very definition of evil, isn’t it?
Why do you think you will never be hurt when you do good?
My default line of thought is that I shouldn’t suffer for doing good. But now I see that that natural tendency is a denial of the doctrine of sin in a fallen world.
What kind of love do you practice anyway?
Well, I knew you would get to this sooner or later. I like to think that I practice the love of Christ.
Do you really believe all people in need will exploit your good intentions?
No. It’s just that it’s so difficult to predict who will and who will not abuse me. My defensive reaction is to generalize evil intentions to all people in need so I can excuse myself from helping them. But I know that is wrong.
So buck up. You yourself reminded everyone “No one said this would be easy.”
Okay, I’ll buck up. But I was right, it certainly isn’t easy!
Have you ever “suffered for doing good”? Share your experience with us.
This post originally appeared in NewCommadment.org.
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4 thoughts on “When You Do Good and Get Kicked in the Teeth for It”
One of our greatest challenges as believers is to be judgement-proof, meaning we are not to judge others when they fail to perform to our expectations. When we remember that even hardened, calloused, manipulative sinners are made in the image of God, it makes my victimization a little easier to take. I have worked with homeless women for nearly nine years and have plenty of tales like yours. Helping people in addiction recovery is a low-reward ministry…on earth. God smiles when we do good for those who will never be able to do anything for us. Thank you, Herb, for your transparency.
Good word, Ron. One we all need to remember.
So true Hugh. We’re to do the good God calls us to do regardless of the consequences.
I remember how outraged I felt when, years ago, I badly twisted my knee while trying to push a random stranger’s car that was stuck on ice. It felt unfair. I was trying to do good like Jesus taught; why was I hurt instead of rewarded?
Jesus himself provides the answer. No one did more good, for more people, than he, yet he was crucified for it. Knowing in advance this would be the outcome did not stop him from carrying forward his bold plan that resulted in the salvation of many. And we are called to be his imitators and followers. As with him, we do not know (short term) whether we will be rewarded or possibly hurt for our efforts. But long term, we know we cannot fail to receive God’s smile and reward!