Do It Anyway

Most of us grew up learning the Ten Commandments as a pretty straight forward list of eight “thou shalt nots” and the two directives; “Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy” and “Honor thy father and thy mother.” The Ten Commandments weren’t intended keep us from a life of fun and frivolity. Instead, they serve to remind us that with love, honor and respect for others creates for us a life of fulfillment. Personally, and for the most part, following the Ten Commandments hasn’t been a challenge. Ok, there was a period of time, especially during adolescence, that I might have forgotten the part about honoring my parents and I’m sure that I’ve coveted something, most likely a pair of shoes. And, admittedly, I have worked on Sundays.

Tougher yet, is wholeheartedly embracing the whole notion of the “greatest commandment” - loving your neighbor. Let’s be honest, there are just some people out there that are totally unlovable; especially those fiends that do us wrong. Really? And God’s answer: “Really.” In 1968, Dr. Kent Keith, penned a list of “Paradoxical Commandments;” a list of life rules that are contrary to human nature. Following is Dr. Keith’s list of Paradoxical Commandments:

1. People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway.
2. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.
3. If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.
4. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
5. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.
6. 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.
7. People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
8. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.
9. People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway.
10. Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway. © 1968, 2001 Kent M. Keith

If those words sound vaguely familiar, they should. The revision of Keith’s list is better known as “Mother Teresa’s Prayer” or “Do it Anyway.” The following words are slightly different from Keith’s earlier version and are supposedly inscribed in a children’s home in Calcutta, India:

1. People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
2. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
3. If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
4. If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.
5. What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
6. If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
7. The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
8. Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
9. In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

Considering those lists, the original list of Ten Commandments is looking pretty good right now. There is some serious “love” your neighbor” personal responsibility and accountability in both Keith’s and Mother Teresa’s lists of commandments. While loving, forgiving, being kind and happy and doing good and giving your best can be challenging, perhaps the most difficult challenge lies in loving ourselves enough to love others. Jesus could have stopped with “love your neighbor,” but he didn’t. Instead he added the caveat, “as yourself” to the commandment. Why? He knew that we would struggle with the act of self love. Loving self requires us to believe in who we are. How can you truly love others without truly loving you? When we love self, we truly accept who we are in Christ and therefore, can conquer “the do it anyways.”

Copyright © 2010 Judith Bell