The Paradoxical Commandments

[caitlincares]

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.

© Copyright Kent M. Keith 1968, renewed 2001

(These use to be attributed to Mother Therese because they were found on the wall in her orphange)

 

[TheOriginalWhitehorse]

This is awesome. So hard to live up to sometimes; very important to remember and keep. What I see in these is the pattern of discouragement being the achilles heel of Christians in a contrary world. We are only sojourners here. This is a reminder to live not according to our affect, but according to the law of the Lord.

Thank you so much for blessing us with this reminder.

 

[caitlincares]

I was chatting with a friend about these "commandments" today.

It breaks down to we must DO because we are directed to.

It is that simple in theory - we just need to stop thinking and just DO.