Have you ever been uninspired? Yep. Me, too. I wanted to sit down and write. I pondered and thought and pondered some more. I even went and fixed myself a bowl of cottage cheese with nectarines. They were yummy. But, I still got nothing.
The Book of Revelation is full of incredible inspiration. I’m studying it now. The imagery is off the charts delivering both awful and awesome visuals. Plus a promised blessing to those who read it and take it to heart. Certainly a Revelation-inspired blog will be forthcoming . I just need a little more time to let it simmer.
So, for now, I’m going to invite someone else to do the inspiring. Allow me to turn it over to Miss Inspo herself. Mother Teresa.
The verses below reportedly were written on the wall of Mother Teresa’s home for children in Calcutta, India, and are widely attributed to her. However, a google search reveals the original version came from Dr. Kent M. Keith’s The Paradoxical Commandments. Variations on the poem abound. One can even detect similarities in country singer Martina McBride’s popular anthem, “Do It Anyway”…here’s the poem:
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.
Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.
Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may often be forgotten.
Do good anyway.
Give the best you have and it may never be enough.
Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God.
It was never just between you and them anyway.
I hope I haven’t broken any rules by posting this. Hey, if something is really inspiring and you’re not sure if sharing it constitues plagiarism. Share it anyway. As long as you give credit to the original author. Thanks, Mama T and Dr. Keith!
An evening uninspired. Not too shabby.
Pondering that,
Cheri
Here are Kent Keith’s comments on this version:
Of course, this is not the original version, nor the version that was on Mother Teresa’s wall, although it is sometimes attributed to her.
The last two lines in this “final analysis” version trouble me, because they can be read in a way that is inconsistent with the teachings of Jesus, the life of Mother Teresa, and the message of the Paradoxical Commandments themselves. The statement that “it was never between you and them anyway” seems to justify giving up on, or ignoring, or discounting other people.
That is what Jesus told us we should not do. Jesus said that there are two great commandments—to love God, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. So in the final analysis, it is between you and God, but it is also between you and “them.” And when it comes to them, Jesus made it clear that we have to love people and help people anyway. We can’t give up on them or ignore them or write them off. That is the point of the Paradoxical Commandments as well—we find meaning when we love and help people, no matter who they may be, or how difficult they may be. We find meaning by loving and helping them anyway.
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Here are the original:
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 will 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.
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