Musings About MHR Canada: Excerpt #25

No good deed goes unpunished!

This statement was coined by Oscar Wild a long time ago in the 1800’s. Wikipedia records that “the phrase is a sardonic commentary on the frequency with which acts of kindness backfire on those who offer them. In other words, those who help others are doomed to suffer as a result of their being helpful”.

For any Bible believing Christian, this phrase should carry no weight… but there are times I have questioned its applicability. Shame on me, eh? But please hear me out.

You should probably be informed that everything that the board members of MHRCanada do is non-paid, voluntary service for the station, for the Lord and His people. And we must not get things mixed up, like there are some times when one gets what is deserved even when doing ministry work. Like the time I was driving to the radio station in Syracuse for an Open Mic program, driving my second-hand PT Cruiser – cute little car, my fake antique! The vehicle was still accelerating up an overpass when the State Police clocked that little piece of metal travelling at 75 MPH in a 60 zone. Now, it was completely my fault for getting a citation that cost a pretty penny. The Trooper didn’t ask if this trip was for the Lord’s work, and anyway, she didn’t have, eh? It was time to receive some just rewards for the unlawful action on my part… again, shame on me! In fact, 1 Peter 2:20 even says, “For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently?” (Emphasis added).

But then, there was the time of a return trip from the Cape Vincent station, having recorded the Community Bulletin Board announcements and sounding the Emergency Alert System… that was a while ago! Driving down towards Cape Vincent at dusk (going the speed limit this time, believe it,) my front end caught the hind end of a deer! The poor driver, that was me, got a good scare, the poorer car got a dent in the hood, a smashed grille and a broken light, and the deer… well, I don’t know much about the deer, it kept running eastward. No doubt it got a bad bruise at least. This time, doing the Lord’s work didn’t pay out so good.

You wanna know something? I’m glad the Sovereign Lord knows what He’s doing, ‘cause I sure don’t at times. And I won’t blame Him for bad things that happen when doing something good for the ministry. The Lord is GOOD: no matter what happens to us.

Oh yes, our MHRCanada president also got a ticket once going to Cape Vincent to do some volunteer work at the station there. Don’t ask him about it as it still hurts.

But remember, no good deed goes unpunished – that’s hogwash! It just feels like a couple of us hogs got washed pretty good.

Submitted by Hank Blok (with my tongue in my cheek)
Secretary-treasurer, Mars Hill Radio Canada