“Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men”. (Romans 11:17).
WHEN WE WERE created, in God’s image, by nature, doing good was a normal principle of life. However, after the fall, the natural wish to do good was replaced by pride. Unfortunately, today many good deeds are based on search for recognition and are a carried out as defense mechanism to display our «goodness.” But looking good isn’t enough, we really need to be good.
Doing good is evidence that we ate daughters of God. Good deeds for others return to our lives wrapped up in blessings. If we want to be doers of good, we need to know exactly what separates the good from the evil, kindness from perversion, and holiness from profanity. The Holy Spirit’s inner voice will guide us in this matter.
We might assume that at home, good deeds are driven by the strength of love; however, that happens less frequently than we think. Within the walls of many homes, kindness and goodness are almost non-existent. Doing good is made up of real acts, and not of speeches. It means doing something for the other person’s welfare, even if it implies sacrifice. Mothers who love their babies don’t abandon them when they cry. Sitting down to listen to your teenager is the best “dish» of love he or she can enjoy with you. Loving your parents mean doing acts of kindness to give them satisfaction. Doing good to our neighbors does not only mean not disturbing them, but also being caring and respectful of their space, privacy, time, habits and preferences. Being good neighbors is the best way to testify that we are daughters of God.
Doing good is a Christian duty; if we fulfill it, we will not only be better people, but we will also be sensitive to a dehumanized society that runs in search of material possessions not caring who falls in the process.
I invite you tonight, when life’s rush has ceased, to take a paper and pencil, write down acts of kindness. Examine them with God in prayer and ask yourself: What motivates me to do this good deed? Do I expect something in stun? Am I doing it to be acknowledged? Or do I feel the Gospel call to do good at the sight of all men?