Mother Teresa Anyways

I came across this quote from Mother Teresa that seems to have stuck with me:

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, will often be forgotten.  Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.  Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and God.  It was never between you and them anyway.
-this version is credited to Mother Teresa
on the wall of her Calcutta home for children

Whenever we do something, more often than not we expect something in return even if we are not thinking about it. I like to label this behavior as an automatic ROI response that humans are susceptible to.  Whenever, I take the kids to the park, I expect them to be happy and thankful. Our premeditated expectation of their response often shapes the way we do things.

However, God calls us to a much higher standard than that. Rather, we do good things just because they are good. When we develop this mentality, life is much more free.  We are no longer weighed down by expectations or other human responses that often lead to anger or frustration.  Well said Mother Teresa. Well said.