It's the action that counts

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

As I was driving my kids into school this morning I heard a phone in on Radio 5Live about Madonna's attempt to adopt another child from Malawi. A large proportion of those who called in were dismissive of her actions and complained that she was doing it for her ego and not for altruistic reasons.

I wanted to scream: Who cares? what does it matter what her motives are, she is performing an act of charity which should be applauded and I don't care why she is doing it.

In Chassidic philosophy it explains that in the realm of good and evil it doesn't matter what your intentions are, what matters are your actions. If you do a good thing for the wrong reasons it is still a good thing and if you do a wrong thing for the right reasons it is still wrong. It is only in the realm of neutral things that are neither good or evil that our intentions can influence whether our actions are good or not.

Charity is a good thing - so do it regardless of your intentions
Murder is a bad thing - so don't do it whatever your intentions
Eating is a neutral thing - so do it for the right reasons - to have the energy to serve G-d.

http://reuvenleigh.blogspot.com