Not Original with Me — Not Inspired — But Food for Thought
Recently, I was looking through some material I have saved in one of the cloud storage systems I use. While I was doing this, I came across the picture of something I remember having under the class on the top of the desk I used when I was preaching for the Central church of Christ in Paducah, Kentucky. I’m not really sure where I got the card on which the material you will read below appeared, but it meant enough to me that it was among the few “treasures” I kept in a conspicuous place.
The material I am reproducing here is not, in any way, original with me and, even though the author labels it as “commandments,” they do not carry the weight of divine commandments. At best, they are the thoughts of a highly educated man.
One more thing needs to be stated very clearly and emphatically. I’m not sure that I did (or do) a good job with even one of these “commandments.” I’m not even certain that I would receive a passing grade on the entire list. To be honest, I may not totally agree with everything you will read below. I think that I might at least find a different way of expressing some of what you will read.
With all of that said, what follows are some thoughts that you might at least want to take a look at and consider:
THE PARADOXICAL COMMANDMENTS
By Dr. Kent M. Keith
People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.
The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas
can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.
People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.
People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.
Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.
© Copyright Kent M. Keith 1968, renewed 2001
AUTHOR: Jim Faughn
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