Rob Voyle's Appreciative Way Blog
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Why Be Good
Posted: July 28, 2016 by Rob Voyle
I love the book of Ecclesiastes or Why be Good? I work hard, I put in lots of effort, and it all will come to nothing, says the Preacher. Vanity of vanities, a mere striving after the wind. I love the book of Ecclesiastes and the preacher's relentless refrain. Its the stop sign in the way of my ego, that strives for self-aggrandizement and self-reward. It doesn't matter whether you are good or bad we are all going to die. We may work hard and create much, but we will die and others will pick up or destroy what we have created. It is out of our hands and all that effort was vanity. I also love that the preacher never gives us an answer, he leaves it up to us to determine for ourselves, why should we do what we do, why should we be good, if we are all going to die and end up in the grave. We have to decide for ourselves whether to do good or do bad, live only for ourselves or for others, the end result is the same. So, why be good? The book of Ecclesiastes predates Christianity. In general Christians take a different perspective, there is an afterlife, heaven or hell, that is the reward that is why we should do what we should do. Take a moment and imagine there is no heaven, no afterlife, and think of what you will do today. Why will you do good or bad? ... Now imagine there is an afterlife and think of what you will do today? Why will you do good or bad? ... Has your decision changed because you believe in an afterlife? I was once teaching a class on St. Paul's belief in universal salvation. One of the participants said, "you mean everyone is going to heaven?" "Yes," I said. He looked at me in utter bewilderment and said, "so why am I being good?" Exactly, why do we do good? For many Christians there is now an external motivation to do good. Doing good is my egos desire not to fry, but is that really good or simply an example of radical ego self-interest. That external motivation keeps us as spiritual infants and we will never grow up and discover the wonder and freedom of who we are. If we are all going to the grave as the Preacher says, or to eternal salvation as St. Paul says, why be good since the outcome is the same? I have a teacher, a man I appreciate deeply for his wisdom and compassion, who is an atheist. He does good because he is good. I want to be like that. Without thought of some future reward to love and do good because it is good. Why do you do good? With hope that there would be more good in the world, because that would be good. Rob Voyle Director, Clergy Leadership Institute
See Restoring Hope for healing and change strategies based in the Appreciative Way.
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