Whenever you give alms, do not sound a
trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets,
so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received
their reward. (Matthew 6.2)
The Good Life
Walt and a group of friends were discussing various life
philosophies, and one of them said, “Mine is simple. I try to be good for
nothing.” Eyebrows shot up and heads tilted. He explained that he looks for opportunities
to do something good without anyone knowing it. “I want to leave things better for
the next guy,” he said. “I pick up litter when I see it. I give a little extra
to homeless people—not so much for them as for someone who might not have it to
give. If I see an open gate, I close it, because people lose pets that way.” Someone
in the group likened it to the “pay it forward” concept. “Not really,” he said.
“There’s no payment back or forward. It’s all for nothing.” So they’re just random acts of kindness? “It’s not
random at all,” he countered. “I go
looking for ways I can be good for nothing.”
Ever since Walt brought the idea home, we’ve talked about what
a liberating notion it is—to do good with no strings attached, no names, no
plans, no credit, none of that awkward business of being thanked or praised for
thoughtfulness that springs out of one’s heart. To be good for nothing. Living lives of kindness in motion. Leaving jet
streams of compassion and generosity and harm prevention wherever we go without
any indication of where they came from. And to make that our purpose, going beyond the odd moments when it dawns on us to do
what’s good, kind, and just. To go looking for ways we can be good for nothing.
This is precisely the life Jesus calls for in Matthew 6.2: “Whenever you give
alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues
and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you,
they have received their reward.” This is the life in which goodness is its own
reward, the life of goodness that seeks no reward. This is the good life.
The Discipline of Being Good
The more I think about this simple plan for living the good
life the more I wonder how the discipline
of being good for nothing plays out in relationships and situations where we’re
inescapably present and known. How do we practice drive-by goodness there? Jesus
shows us how in His admonition about what not
to do. “Do nothing to draw attention to yourself,” He says. “Don’t get all holy
and self-righteous about goodness you convey.” Doing what’s good to prove we’re
as good—or, more often, better—than
those who benefit from it proves nothing. Their gratitude and onlookers’ praise
become the prize. If that’s all we want—to be seen doing good—we won’t be disappointed, because that’s what we’ll
get. But in going that way, we should also be aware that’s all we’ll get. Jesus promises something much greater than looking
good will come of our goodness when we divorce it from any hopes or intentions
of being noticed. “Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is
doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father Who sees in
secret will reward you.” (v3-4) Many translations attach “openly” to the end of
verse 4, underscoring the implication that being good for nothing ultimately results
in rewards that openly attest to goodness in
us—goodness that need not wave flags and sound trumpets, goodness that is
simply, irrevocably, obviously there.
This is a hugely important lesson for all of us. And it’s
especially vital for those of us who’ve been disparaged as “good for nothing.” Learning
Jesus’s way of being good for nothing
restores and reaffirms our dignity and worth. When kindness in motion becomes a
way of life, it transforms every situation into a good-for-nothing opportunity.
Jet streams of compassion, generosity, and harm prevention smoke out the
hornet’s nests and purify atmospheres of hatred and degradation. Seeking no
reward for good relieves the burden of hoping our intentions will be
appreciated. Others’ responses don’t affect our decision to do good, because we
do it for nothing. If they get it,
that’s great. If they don’t, so be it.
For the Better
As we listen to Jesus talk about doing good for nothing, we
bear in mind He’s addressing a culture of disempowerment, speaking to an
oppressed people who’ve lapsed into a perpetual reactionary state. In many
ways, His listeners resemble post-traumatic patients. They’ve witnessed,
experienced, and absorbed so much suffering that they’re naturally reluctant to
extend themselves to others without some guarantee of repayment. They’ve
already lost so much that asking what’s in it for me is their first line of
defense against future losses and greater suffering. And so it is with us. We
too live in a culture of disempowerment, where belittlement and demoralization are
handy tools for anyone seeking to control who we are, how we behave, and what
we believe. Before we do anything good, we’re apt to weigh potential risks and
rewards. When we’re unsure that doing good will result in something better for
us, we hesitate.
Given the suffering we’ve endured and absorbed, we have no
reason to condemn ourselves for thinking that way. Yet Jesus challenges us to think again—to realize abuses that befall
us grow out of a climate starved for goodness, a world where oppression,
demoralization, and hatred are clothed as moral and religious righteousness.
“What’s in it for me” strips the good from goodness and replaces it with
hypocrisy and deceit. Whatever we may reap from rewards-based goodness benefits
no one—not even us—because all we’re doing is counterbalancing evil with good,
rather than increasing goodness by
foregoing any desire of repayment. To be good for nothing is to participate in
an additive process that fills the gaping void of goodness in our world. It
changes our relationships, situations, culture, climate, and, yes, us for the better. This is goodness that
God rewards. This is the good life. So the next time anyone dares to say you’re
good for nothing, dare to smile, nod in agreement, and thank them for the
compliment!
Doing good without seeking reward invites us to participate in an additive process that
fills the gaping void of goodness in our world.
No comments:
Post a Comment