Check Your Motives

  For those of you who haven't heard of him, Peter Kreeft is a super-smart, super-Catholic, and super-funny philosopher. In his book, Before I Go: Letters to Our Children About What Really Matters (This is one of his easiest reads. Despite that, it was one of the deepest books I've ever read. Like I said before, HE. IS. SMART), he makes a great point about checking our motives before we do anything, even if it's something good. Now that doesn't mean we have to sit down, have a tea, and contemplate life in general for half an hour before we get on the school bus each morning (I mean, you can if you want to, but I don't exactly feel very contemplative at 7:30 in the morning), but we should look at the reasons behind our actions. If I make a $1,000,000 donation to some famous charity just to recieve public acclaim, are my intentions good? No. If I make that donation for the sole purpose of offering someone in need a better and healthier life, are my intentions good? Yes. Now I'm going to stop talking, and let Mr. Kreeft take over. He writes, 

                        " Seven Bad Reasons for Doing Anything

       1. It's popular. (So?)
       2. It's modern. (So what?)
       3. It's efficient. (For what?)
       4. It's economical. (Is it, really?)
       5. It's just "what's done" (So what's your point?)
       6. It's necessary. (No, it isn't, unless it's God. There is only one necessary being.)
       7. I have to do this. (Are you a robot or a slave?)

                          Seven Good Reasons for Doing Anything

       1. God loves it.
       2. I love it.
       3. It's good.
       4. It's true.
       5. It's beautiful.
       6. It makes me happy.
       7. It makes someone else happy.

       See how simple it is to change your life?"