Don’t Hold Out

“Don’t withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.”

Sometimes in my day-to-day hustle, I forget that I have been given enormous freedom and power. Most often in life I am held back by the imaginary restrictions on what I can do or should do. I don’t help as many people as I could because I lapse into thinking, “No one empowered me to do that.”

Which is rubbish. There’s no “Do Good Fairy” riding around in a convertible that will drive by and say “Today you can do good for that customer. Today you can slip that guy $5.” No, I have that power every day.

At Illinois Wesleyan our former President Minor Meyers Jr. said, “Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.”

Do not withhold good. It is in your power to act. You are able to say a compliment. You are able to help carry in your neighbor’s groceries. A Mavidean recently told me he shoveled his neighbor’s walkway. He has strength in his body, warm clothes on his back, and a shovel. He went and did good.

What is in your power to do? What have you been given that you can use to help others?

Are you strong? Are you smart? Are you funny? Of course you are! Go forth.

BethAnne Dorn