Why Doing Good Matters
Why do we do good work? Some would say that it’s all about karma — what comes around goes around. Hey, let’s do good things for others so good things will come our way in return! Kind of like a cosmic boomerang. Others say that we have a moral obligation to leave this planet in better condition than when we got here. I’m not sure why, but I keep getting a picture of the final scene in Planet of the Apes. Yikes! Some believe that we need to do as much good as possible to somehow override all the bad stuff we do. I’m not sure about you, but I can generate a lot of bad stuff. Quick, are there any old ladies that need help crossing the street?!
But I think the need – the drive – to do good runs much deeper.
We root for the good guys. We want our own super power. But let’s face it, we live in a pretty broken world. Sure, there are good things that are happening all around us. Beyond bunnies and flowers even, there is real beauty all around. But somehow we know that things just don’t seem to be as they should. Things are working. But not quite right. It seems like there is pain and hurting everywhere. We are moving forward, but the car can’t seem to get out of first gear.
The letter of James says, “Faith without works is dead.” As a person of faith, I’d say that is a pretty convicting statement. If I don’t do good works then I don’t really have faith, right? Maybe I’m aligned a little more closely to some of the viewpoints I mentioned earlier. Better start piling up the good works to make sure my faith is in good standing. But I don’t think James is saying that our works are a requirement for faith as much as they are a confirmation of our faith.
I believe that there is something fundamental in all of us that longs for a world that’s whole and unbroken. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. So when we do work for good causes — from revitalizing impoverished neighborhoods through word and deed, to protecting endangered species around the world, to serving the widows and orphans — we are looking forward to things hoped for, yet unseen. Working with organizations that are redeeming our broken world aligns with our own sense of righteousness and justice. Our clients don’t merely consider us as another vendor, but rather a partner in their story of making a difference in the world. They know we share their vision. We get it. We don’t just help with their communications needs (branding, print, web design). We champion their cause.
Why do we do good work? Because I believe there is something inherently programmed in all of us to make a difference in the world. To right the wrongs. To put the pieces back together as we look forward to the Home where someday everything will be right and whole and good.
