No Good Deed Shall Go Unpunished

So today I got a call from a person who needed a favor. They were in a bit of a bind and I was the only one available to help them out. To make matters more complicated, a third party was involved who was depending on this person. So I agreed to help, only to later be bitten by this very same person. It seems the help I offered was not enough... they wanted and expected more. So I went the extra mile and did more. But instead of feeling good about doing the favor, I instead became resentful towards the person. After all, no one else would help them at all. They should have been grateful! Instead, they tried to make me feel like I was the bad guy. I know they were hurting, and misery loves company. But it was a little like biting the hand that feeds you. It made me think that maybe next time I would just not answer the phone when I see that number pop up...

I left that story intentionally vague. Don't worry, it probably isn't about you.

As I sit here and reflect upon my day, I am reminded again how absolutely simple Jesus' teachings are to understand, yet how incredibly difficult they are to enact, specifically the Golden Rule. I am so glad that Jesus did not command us to do to others as they have done to us. While in the short term it sure would feel good, I doubt that any of us would want to live in a world where eye-for-eye justice was allowed to rule.

Instead, we are supposed to forget about what has been done to us and do good to others. We are supposed to pray for our enemies and bless those who persecute us. And while I fully understand these simple principles, I find it completely impossible to do these things on my own strength. That is why I am so thankful that I do not live by my power alone, but trusting in God for all things I am able to love even the ones who take advantage of me for their own sake.

And tonight as I close my eyes, I will not do so harboring bitter thoughts of how somebody did me wrong today. Instead I will fall asleep thankful that I serve a God who has enabled me to be a messenger of hope and peace to someone who is desperately in need of both.