Doing good
Two points to take into account
June 14th 2013
Wanting to do good is one thing; actually doing it is another. Yes, unfortunately the wish to do good is not enough. We must also be clear and honest enough to admit that while thinking we are doing good we may make mistakes. And so we must be even more wary of ourselves than of others.
And it can also happen that in acting well we attract hatred and enmities. You often hear people say, ‘Do good and you reap evil’, and this is true. But it should not justify being selfish or refusing to help others. So what attitude does a wise person take? They do good knowing what they can expect, and if what they reap in return is evil they are neither surprised nor saddened, as they knew in advance what they were laying themselves open to. So, those who want to do good must first of all be honest and study their motives and the means they employ. And then they should know that however much good they do, they may receive evil in return.