Sunday, April 06, 2008

An encouraging thought from our Mother Theresa

This was read out at Church this morning and really encouraged me. I'm reading a book at the moment which is a published account of Mother Theresa's personal correspondance and journals. She is such an inspiring woman, who had a very deep relationship with God and a knowledge of his love for us. This piece is said to have been written on the wall of her room, and is adapted from a similar piece by Kent Kieth.

Do it Anyway

People are often unreasonable, illogical
and self- centred.
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
false friends and some true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank,
people may cheat you.
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building,
someone could destroy overnight.
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness
they may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today,
people will often forget tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have,
and it may never be enough.
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis,
it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hey Michael,
I like this. I think I have read it somewhere before. Just curious, did you see the article Time magazine had on her and the struggles she had with feeling God's closeness in her life? There were a bunch of letters she wrote to God and to her spiritual mentor that sounded pretty desperate. It was an interesting article, some people might think it discounts God's presence and work even in the most 'godly'of people (i think that was their aim), but I thought it made it clear that we are all human and not perfect and so will all, at some point, experience some kind of split from God, even the most godly of us all. The important thing is that she never stopped searching. I wonder if its in the book you are reading now.
Anyway, hope you are doing well.
Take care,
Chika