What's the Motivation?

Have you ever heard the expression,"No good deed goes unpunished?" It's attributed to Oscar Wilde. It seems like a contradiction in terms until you factor in human nature.


A young woman was asked who she thought originated the expression. She replied,"I don't know but I know it's true. Every time I do a good deed for someone I get a parking ticket. I finally figured out I can't afford to do good deeds."

My wife, LaNell, (who never met a volunteer job she didn't like) was asked by our associate pastor to raise funds for, and to help administer, a prayer pager ministry in our church. People who are in the hospital or ill at home, upon request, are provided a prayer pager that alerts them that someone is praying for them. The ministry has been a source of comfort to many, knowing that they are being remembered in prayer.


A worthwhile, meaningful and spiritually-rewarding ministry. The 'punishment', (to complete Wilde's aphorism) has come in the form of some undeserved criticism and complaints. This has not dissuaded LaNell in the least and she has no intention of giving up her part of the ministry.

With the best of intentions, a young and inexperienced minister decided to publish, in the church newsletter, the names of all members of his congregation who helped in the church vacation bible school. Alas, the name of one woman had been mistakenly omitted. The woman wrote the minister and let him know she was severely offended because she had supplied Kool Aid for the bible school and her name was not included in the newsletter.


Mother Teresa is known world-wide for her charity. She and her nuns worked with the disenfranchised, those in the deepest poverty and at the extreme edges of society; the sick, the dying and the dead whom they gathered up off the streets of Calcutta; those that no other group or individual would touch. Yet her motives were sometimes questioned and she and her organization had to endure much critisism from individuals and government entities. Her response? "No matter who says what, you should accept it with a smile and do your own work."

If we are going to do a good deed for others it best to do it out of heart-felt desire to serve God and without thought of reward or recognition. Otherwise, there will be nothing but hurt feelings and disappointment. Are we willing to be overlooked when we "furnish Kool Aid" and not expect to see our name in print or get a round of applause?

If the "parking fines" begin to add up will we press on?

If we are hit with undeserved criticism and complaints are we willing to "accept, smile and do our own work?"

Jesus said,"Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

But, when you do a charitable deed, do not not let your left hand know what you right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly." Matthew 6:1-4 New KJV