Surprisingly in a recent episode of American Idol I was prompted to think about why I strive to do what is right.
This particular episode had a theme of giving back to the needs of various organizations around the world.
Throughout the show they showed clips of the various needs in places such as
Africa and urban areas in LA.
The highlight of the night was a particular company agreed to donate to charity .10 for every person who called to vote for their favorite performer up to 50 million calls.
This would total a maximum donation of 5 million dollars.
My jaded nature came out as my first reaction was one of cynicism. I thought this company is getting a great deal. True they are donating up to 5 million dollars to charity but they are getting major advertising throughout the show and a great public relations spin. This company isn’t doing just to help needy people. They are doing this to benefit themselves! This was just a selfish media spin to promote their name and get a lot of advertising.
Or was it? I was assuming that just because this company benefited from the act of kindness that it was therefore not virtuous or sincere. Is that true? Is the amount of virtue in an action determined by the lack of benefit to the person performing the action? In other words is a good deed only good if it does not benefit the one performing the good deed? If the deed is done in a totally selfless and non-beneficial manner does that make it better? Philosophers such as Kant would seem to think so.
All of this forces me to ask, “why do I do good things?” And to take it one step further, “why do I sometimes not do the right thing?” Why do I try to help those in need? Why am I faithful to my wife? Why do I try to be a good father? I think ultimately it is because I will benefit from it. I believe there is great joy to be found in being obedient to God. This is because God is our Creator. He has designed us to live and work a certain way. When we are obedient to His will we are happy. When we are disobedient we experience hardship and frustration. So why am I not always obedient? Because I often forget this truth. I buy into the lie that doing things my way will make me happier.
John Piper notes that our obedience to God is for our satisfaction. God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him. When we obey God we are doing so in order to be satisfied. Therefore, our Christian obedience is done out of a desire to gain something, joy in God. When I read my bible, share my faith, or help a person in need I do so knowing these things will bring me a true sense of joy and satisfaction. As a result the person whom I have helped has their needs met and I have the joy of serving and being obedient to Christ.
One example that Piper often uses highlights this idea. Suppose my wife asks, “why do you love me?” “Because when I am with you I am full of joy. You make me feel good. I enjoy being around you. You bring such happiness to my life.” If I respond in this way my wife is not going to call me selfish. She is not going to say that I am only around her because she makes me feel good. The reason for this is my desire to be around her brings glory and honor to her. In this relationship my wife’s need to be loved is met and my desire to be happy is met by being around her.
So, I guess I owe an apology to the company donating millions of dollars to charity. You can in fact do a good deed and benefit from it yourself.
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