The Five Words

“Lose yourself in doing good.”

-David Geddes

The Five Words

When I was a young man there was a time when it felt as if my whole world was crumbling.  Everywhere I looked it was as if nothing good was happening in my life.  It seemed as if almost everything I counted on to provide me with happiness had turned against me and was now working in contradiction.  It was a time of personal darkness and despair so I turned to my Pastor for counsel.

I vividly remember sitting with him and talking about all the bad assaulting me at the time.  He listened patiently and intently until I had finished my seemingly unending list.  His face was loving in its attitude and when he spoke I could not escape the feeling of warmth with which it engulfed me.

“Lose yourself in doing good.” He said gently.

I had taken more than a half hour to outline everything that was bad and getting worse in my life.  I had gone into great detail to make sure he had understood every aspect of the challenges I was facing.  He gave me the solution in five words!

I tested his advice at that time and it worked!  I made sure I turned my focus to doing good all around me and soon I was surrounded by good everywhere I turned.  My life had changed, but not forever.

As the years marched forward my circumstances changed.  I was fully engaged in my business and had a focus on being successful.  I began to live my life as a continuing negotiation!  That is until I ran into an old friend.

When I sat talking with this friend I’ll never forget the look on her face when, in the middle of our conversation, she stopped me and said, “What happened to you?”

To say the least, I was taken aback!

After our meeting I thought about what she said over and over again.  I wondered what had happened to me.  What had caused me to stop being the cherished friend she remembered and loved?

As I thought about who I had become, the five words came back into my mind and heart.  “Lose yourself in doing good.”  Even though I hadn’t seen my Pastor for many years I saw his gentle and kind face as if he was there with me.  And again, I made a vow to incorporate his words into my life.

When I did, the good came flowing back into my life and I was happy once again.  It was at this moment I knew these were more than just words.  If one truly focuses on doing good continually, they discover a passageway to never ending joy.

When joy had left the life of one of my stepsisters, she came to me for advice in one of her darkest hours.  I felt helpless in offering her a solution until the five words came rushing into my mind.  I offered them to her.  They changed her life. 

Years later, when peace and tranquility were ever present for her, she came to me and said, “That was the best advice I have ever received!  Thank you!”

I simply said, “It wasn’t my advice.  It was from my Pastor, David.  He is the one who gave me the words to give.”

Now I’m giving these words to you.  Lose your life in doing good.  You don’t need permission from anyone to use them.  You don’t need any more money.  You just need to use them to the benefit of all.

Doing good for others will always come back to you.  There is no way you can ever give more than you will receive when you offer goodness directly from your heart.