Do something good
There is no doubting the fact that we have all experienced the exaggerated hype attached to various events promising to deliver a ‘best-ever’ moment. The providers of holidays, weddings, homes and even meals are reminding us of the need to participate in these GOAT (Greatest of All Time) opportunities, and many individuals then feel the pressure to advertise said amazing moments on social media. But have we arrived at a point in our community and cultural development where the chase for the extraordinary, the unbelievably superb, and the ‘so-much-better-than-everyone-else’ has now damaged our ability to embrace, understand and accept the normal and perfectly acceptably good?
American poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou once said, ‘Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better.’
Is it possible for us within our modern context to focus on doing our best in all situations with a pure heart, sincere meaning and tremendous effort, without the added stress, pressure and expense which often accompanies the grab for more?
We don’t need to adopt a lazy or ‘near-enough-is-good-enough’ approach, we can still aim high and deliver excellence, but it helps to be aware of this growing issue in our community: the chase for the biggest and best all the time, no excuses, whatever it takes, at the potential expense of the good and the genuine. We seem intent on living lives that look fabulous on the outside – but has the desire to polish the exterior caused us to neglect the interior?
As a counter-intuitive suggestion, could we consider simply doing good: focussing every day on being good people, creating good environments, living with good attitudes and expressing good thoughts to each other?
Businessman Jim Collins wrote a best-selling book entitled From Good to Great teaching organisations how to grow, all based on the premise of starting at ‘good’ and then taking steps toward ‘great’ – not just presuming that everything automatically starts at ‘great’.
In Genesis 6, God chose a person called Noah to help change the world. And how is Noah described? As a good man – not superhuman, extraordinary or legendary, and there is no mention of his ‘off the charts’ skills and capacities. He was apparently just a good man, willing to play his part and help his community.
In Matthew 25, we read a beautiful paragraph encouraging us to do what we can to look after others in small and simple ways: ‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me’.
These small actions may not appear important because they present as simple – but they are good, and can make a huge difference.
Footscray footballer, Alan Trusler, played throughout the famous 1954 season but missed their premiership win that year because he was committed to being the best man at his brother’s wedding on Grand Final Day. In 2016, 62 years later, when his beloved Bulldogs were back in the Grand Final, the 83-year-old former player could not secure a ticket to the game. A woman hearing his story on the radio chose to use her membership to buy him a ticket. He was gifted a ticket by a complete stranger. A deliberate act of kindness. A good thing to do.
In that same year, actor Tom Hanks was walking through Central Park, New York, when he saw a bride and groom having their wedding photos taken, and rather than hiding or running past, he stopped for a chat and a couple of photos. A deliberate choice to do something good. No cost, no harm. Just good.
As a school community, and as individuals, let’s consciously focus on doing good.
Be encouraged to make a positive difference, and add value wherever you can.
Bless you.
Rev. Tim Edwards
Lead Chaplain