No Good Deed Goes Unpunished!

We live in a world of self-preservation and self-love rather than love of our neighbor and preservation of the greater good. Have you ever heard the saying, “no good deed goes unpunished!” In the 90s there was a push in schools to improve confidence. The world started to change to ensure nothing was ever said or done to reduce the confidence of a child. This sounds great. Barbie dolls started changing their mold to demonstrate the average woman and little girls started to be encouraged that they could be equally successful in math and science. In fact, all people of all ethnicities started pushing for equality. Wonderful results of this encouragement has happened. For example, for the first time ever, women make up a majority of those enrolling in medical school according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. In addition, there was a 6% increase in American Indians and 4.6% increase in Black ethnicity enrolling into medical school.

However, like I said, “no good deed goes unpunished!” As an off- shoot of building confidence, everyone started to be rewarded equally. The “everyone gets a trophy” mindset also began. How dare another child be told they are better than my child! Commercials started to encourage self-love and self-care. I hear teams in the breakroom encouraging each other to “take the vacation” or “go to the spa” because you “deserve” it regardless to what it does to your bank account. Our world has become more and more focused on self. We cut people off in traffic, we strive to “one up” other (I told them!), and we compete against each other to “fit in.”

We are not all selfish. I have always been an “all American” girl and it amazes me that a person will openly sacrifice their life for the greater good of American Freedom. However, that is what Jesus did for all people of all time. He died so that we can live an eternal life and became an ultimate sacrifice. What would you not do for a person that loves you, died for you and gave you eternal life? Just to be really provocative for a minute, I want you to pause and think about if you really believe:

· There is a God and a Devil

· A heaven and a hell

· Eternity

If we are Christians and we thought our family, loved ones, friends could possibly die and go to hell and burn forever, then would we not go to the farthest extent to keep that from happening, even if that meant the ultimate sacrifice? We are going to heaven anyway…right? However, our pride, embarrassment, fear, or even disbelief stops us.

If we really believed that our loved ones would go to hell if they were not saved, we would have a boldness and urgency for our loved ones that do not know Christ. If you knew there was a gunman in a building, would you not tell them? Would you fear that you may make them feel “uncomfortable,” if you tell them about the gunman? Of course not! You would stop them, inform them, hold them back! You would do this to prevent an Earthly death, but our time on Earth is a blink of an eye compared to all eternity.

God said He is the great I AM. Something had to create all of our world. It actually takes more faith to believe things just “appeared” than to believe there was a creator. God actually calls himself, “I AM!” In Exodus 3:13-15 Moses is asking God who he should say sent him. 14 God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.[a] This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the Israelites: The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is my name forever; this is how I am to be remembered in every generation

I saw a video where a Christian was in a convenient store and a robber held up the store and held a gun to his friend. The girl knew her friend was not a Christian and therefore jumped in front of her friend. She would rather die and have hope her friend would find God than to allow her friend to die and be in Hell forever.

This life is not about us. Should we have confidence…sure. However, we should live for others. Our life should be one of complete service to others. God designed us that when we help others, we have a release of endorphins that make us feel good. It gives us a “natural high”. Are you worth it? You are so important that God sent his son to die for you personally. This life takes grit, faith, hope, boldness and courage. We have nothing to fear. God says, “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

I challenge us this week to go boldly in our communities and be the hands, feet, eyes, and ears of Jesus. WE need to keep from judging and courageously love God’s people.

I hope you have an awesome week!

Love,

Crystal