‘Do the right thing, Man!’

“It's not enough for you to do well. You want to do good. You want your life to matter. You want to live in such a way the world will be glad you did.” ~Max Lucado

That was a twitter update I saw in the main stream this morning. He is usually someone who I think is brilliant and loving so there is the danger of just agreeing with everything he says based on how much I like the guy. I almost hate to say anything to the contrary because he really is super cool and very knowledgeable.

He starts off by saying, “It's not enough for u to do well. You want to do good.” I am sure having read several of his books and knowing his background that he wasn’t using ‘good’ as a mediocre behavior preceding the word ‘great’. I am sure he meant we should do some good on the earth as opposed to doing well in our lives. It’s part of living with a purpose and I dig that. He did go on to say, “You want your life to matter” so that pretty much solidifies the point.

It’s his last phrase which begs for some follow-up. If I look at what he is saying very literally in a way that would match the three sentences before it, I would think he meant the actual earth will thank us for it. Nature as a whole, grass, trees and people included will be glad we did something with this sense of purpose. I think that is a true thought. It’s reasonable to think anything we do which is good will be felt by the earth in some way, on some level and with some percentage. What set me a little off center about the final phrase was, ‘You want to live in such a way’. I feel like this is just uncomfortable to read because it points to us doing something because others will be pleased. I am not a big believer in doing things selfishly, but my real concern with it is the thought that, ‘What do we do when the world doesn’t acknowledge what we do?’ and will we suffer some disappointment because of it. Again, having read so many of his books, I am sure he would say, ‘Ah, but you are doing good and the world is glad.’ I am still left wondering in that case if he did respond that way, why would we do anything based on whether the world approves or the earth is thankful.

Whatever happened to doing things because it’s simply the right thing to do? Whatever happened to paying something forward because having been through pain, we should understand that it feels yucky to go through something and why wouldn’t we want to do everything we can to alleviate that in someone else because pain is so awful? Whatever happened to slotting ourselves into a much grander picture rather than looking for the Superhero role in it all? Why are we still thinking about the gratitude of others and making sure they notice us? While I want the things I do to matter, can’t I simply just trust that the magnificent Earth which has a plan a million times bigger than me will take my efforts into account IF I do the right thing and do what I am told to?

If the Earth responds favorably to something I implemented and it makes me feel good, I guess that is fine. But hasn’t the Earth given me more than I could ever imagine to give back? Isn’t the favor bank slightly slanted in its favor? Because it is so slanted as far as which one of us is working harder, I fail to believe that is ever needs my gratitude. I understand gratitude isn’t dependent on who does more and I will continue to be eternally thankful, but looking for its gratitude simply cannot be the reason I do anything. If it pleases the Creator, awesome…but he’s done more for me that I could do for him. I won’t stop doing good things and finding my place in it all, but I won’t be looking for the Earth or world to be glad that I did. I see it simply as my responsibility and job.

I want to live in such a way that is agreeable, but I am more thankful than looking for thanks.

I am continually looking for where I am needed, simply because as a human who lives on a part of the earth where I think I was given some good tools and blessings, I believe it’s the right thing to do. I think when everyone does what they are supposed to do and go to where they are needed and respond when they are called, I believe the world and earth is going to function properly. It’s a perfect initial plan that when we work against it, things go badly. The Earth has even set up back-up plans all over the place for when we screw up. I just don’t want to be one of the ones sucking that well dry.

Yes, the world will be glad I lived this way but it simply cannot be the reason for what I do what I do. It’s a bit too shaky and unstable of a motto to live on.

Maybe we should set the motto back to, ‘Do the right thing, Man!!!’

A bit bossy, but you get where I am going with it. ;)

Always feeling like I could be doing more, but recognizing I can do what I can when I am called to…

Karen :)

“No one can do everything, but everyone can do something. What about you?” ~Max Lucado

(Another quote by him which I like…but I could start to talk about if we are going around looking for something to do or if we are ignoring the very thing we are called to…will save that for another day) ;)