“They gave our Master a crown of thorns.
Why do we hope for a crown of roses?”
~ Martin Luther ~
I jokingly say that my philosophy of life is "no good deed goes unpunished." It seems that when I do something good it comes back and bites me. For example, at one time I was seeing client who couldn't afford to pay. I agreed to see her for free because I really felt that she needed the help and wouldn't take advantage of my kindness. She came to see me for many months, but then she cancelled several times and never came back. I ran into her in the grocery store one day and she said, "I felt uncomfortable not paying you, so I'm going to see another counselor and I'm paying her." What?! I really would have let her pay!!
I could recite many instances of my "good deeds" going unnoticed, unappreciated, unpaid. There are times that I swear that I won't do it again...get taken advantage of...
It is times like those that the quote by Martin Luther stings my conscience and make me realize that the sacrifices I have made in my good deeds are nothing compared to the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for me. So, I continue to dust off my pride and give to others even if it never gets appreciated this side of heaven. I can never out give or out love God...
Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. 5:1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
Check out more In "other" words posts here. Thanks Iris for hosting this week!
8 comments:
Really good post, enjoyed it. Bless you for sharing.
Great post. Thank you for sharing.
Relevant thoughts for us. Just heard this past Sunday in the sermon that we should give till it hurts, till we're exhausted. Our love is suppose to be labor...Yikes.
So true - we cannot out give our Master! Thanks for sharing!
Your post reminded of an old hymn...
He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength as our labors increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials he multiplies peace.
When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.
His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.
Oh to be able to give even a fraction of how he gives for us!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this quote. My mother always told me, you can't beat God giving no matter how hard you try.
You are right, sometimes our deeds seem to be unnoticed, but not by our Heavenly Father. He sees it all :)
Thank you so much for joining us this week and sharing your thoughts on the IOW quote.
Be blessed today and always.
"No good deed goes unpunished." I love that! I've always thought of it as: "We must be doing something right. Satan is really going after us!" Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
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