Do it Anyway

I found a prayer card at home which was distributed in church some months back. Never got around reading it until last night. It carries among others, a famous prayer credited to Mother Teresa of Calcutta. It was said to be found on the wall in the Children's home directed by Mother Teresa. Here is how it goes:

Do it Anyway
By Mother Teresa of Calcutta

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.

As I was doing a search on this, I found that there exist an original version slightly different and it goes like this:

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 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.

Apparently, Mother Teresa have rewrote part of the original to make it more spiritual. But I am especially touched by the last verse in Mother Teresa's version, it is so true. So when you question yourself for doing the things that your consience is telling you too, while others are doing things against their (assuming they have) consience and are apparently doing well in this world; or when you are getting angry at the selfishness and inconsiderations of others, you can reflect upon this.

It is never between you and them, it is God who will be your ultimate judge.

Have a blessed Christmas.