I have a black canvas banner hanging in my bedroom that reads, “Do Good Recklessly.”

My dad got it for me shortly after we moved to Washington (two years ago) and I love it, especially the words on it.

The first time you read it, you might be like, “Cool phrase.”

But then, if you think about it you realize that it’s actually a pretty awesome and deep phrase.

You see, ‘Do good recklessly’ is like a call to action—but in a way that is unexpected and well, reckless. I looked up the definition of ‘reckless’ and this is what popped up: ‘without thinking or caring about the consequences of an action.’

If we are doing good recklessly, that doesn’t mean that we are not caring about our actions. It means that it’s instinctive.

For example, some frail old lady falls in the middle of the crosswalk across the street. Somebody is instinctively going to help her up because (1.) she’s got arthritis in both knees, (2.) that’s what you’re supposed to do! We know that, and so you are (hopefully) not going to let grandma-lady help herself up. You act without thinking–but it’s not bad. It’s good.

You’re doing good recklessly.

Now, helping an old lady up might not be exactly reckless. So here is another example:

There’s a kid at your school who is suuuuuper nerdy and they get teased a lot. You’re not necessarily popular, but you’re not at the same level of outcast as the nerdy kid is. But, you still have a reputation to protect, right?

Well, when they are being bullied at lunch time, you instinctively—or recklessly—approach the kid and ask if they want to sit with you at lunch.

You don’t think hard about it, instead you just act.

How can you do good recklessly in your own life?

‘My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ‘
John 15:12 NIV

~Willow <3