Success

[alisonb]

SUCCESS

My friend asked me a question
I could not readily answer.

"Why do people who lie and cheat
Always seem to do better in life
than people who try to do the right thing?"

A philosophical answer would not do;
she needed a practical response.

A theological answer would not do;
she already knew what that was.

We examined a specific case that troubled her.

An employee was told to fake product test results.
If he lied, people might be harmed.
He could not lie so he was fired.
Someone else faked the results;
the product was made.
The company is successful;
the former employee is bitter and destitute.

Her question to me:
"Why was evil rewarded and good punished?"

She wasn't satisfied with the standard answer:
"The case isn't over yet;
we don't know the final outcome."

It wasn't the final outcome she cared about.

"Why did doing the right thing
produce such bad results?"
And more importantly,
"Why does that always seem to be the case?"

I couldn't give her a quick response
but her questions made me wonder.

Is apparent success true success?
Is it incorrect for me to think
that outward and inner success could be different?

Is it really true that the pain of doing right
ultimately prevails over the ease of doing wrong?

How long will it take for the fired employee to believe
that what he did - in the end - was best for him?
What if he never believes it was best?

I can listen to quick, standard answers:
Doing the right thing is always right.
Without suffering you can't experience true joy.
Striving is the essence of life.
You can only gain after you experience pain.
Everything always works out in the end.

Yes, I know that getting to the end is what matters,
but how I get there matters most.

I have learned
the quick, standard answers are true
But they don't ease the day-to-day struggle.
They don't give me all the help I need to live my life,
for living life is no simple matter.

A successful life
always incorporates good and evil,
and in the struggle
Sometimes evil seems to prevail.

But while I'm in the midst of the struggle
I cannot say that evil has won.
Only when I cross the bridge to the other side
of the conflict can I call the results.
Only after I have experienced the entire event
can I say which side has won.

That takes time -
Sometimes a lifetime.

Author: Carole D. Bos


Why do people who lie and cheat always seem to do better in life than people who try to do the right thing or is it just a perception??
What is your opinion?

 

[regolith]

A wise friend told me this: "happy people do not behave that way."

That is one answer, but a poor one. Another wise thinker wrote of different outlooks - one man's right is another's wrong, so even inward conscience needn't trouble many who harm others.

One thing I know - from good people, evidence of honesty and hard work earns respect and admiration and those people will stand up for you.
However, honesty can be faked.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

dont buy a car from a salesman, thats also a preacher

 

[MistyMorning]

Didn't Miley Cyrus make about a gajillion bucks with her version of this story?

 

[Angus Cowman]

dont buy a car from a salesman, thats also a preacher

That is funny
I knew a man that was a car salesman and his best friend was a preacher
the preacher asked him why he didn't come to church
the salesman said a good car salesman can't be a good christian and the last I knew being a good christian didn't feed my family and if I am gonna do something I want to do it well so I am a car salesman

 

[rockridgecattle]

It is hard to see the ones living a life of plenty when they seem to so easily be able to compromise themselves and it gets them ahead. This is hard to write about...oi!
Those of us who strive to live a life which is "right"...take that narrow path...we have to know there is more in life than just personal gain. In the end it is who we are and were which will make the difference in somebody else's life.
We are only as good as our reputation. And that reputation will follow us even unto death.
I will die with nothing but the shirt on my back...and even that i will not be able to take with me. But what will be left behind is what others believe who i was. I would rather be poor and destitute and living a life pleasing to Him that compromise and get ahead in life...only to leave it behind for the family and government to fight over.

That probably made absolutely no sense what so ever :?

 

[Jogeephus]

Why do people who lie and cheat always seem to do better in life than people who try to do the right thing or is it just a perception??
What is your opinion?

I think over the long haul you will be blessed by living by the golden rule. I can look at many what I call flashes in the pan that seemed to prosper by doing wrong but in the long haul most have crashed and burned. Its the long haul that you have to look at but it does at time seem to take a long time to see it happen.

 

[Ryder]

It is hard to see the ones living a life of plenty when they seem to so easily be able to compromise themselves and it gets them ahead. This is hard to write about...oi!
Those of us who strive to live a life which is "right"...take that narrow path...we have to know there is more in life than just personal gain. In the end it is who we are and were which will make the difference in somebody else's life.
We are only as good as our reputation. And that reputation will follow us even unto death.
I will die with nothing but the shirt on my back...and even that i will not be able to take with me. But what will be left behind is what others believe who i was. I would rather be poor and destitute and living a life pleasing to Him that compromise and get ahead in life...only to leave it behind for the family and government to fight over.

That probably made absolutely no sense what so ever :?

It makes very good sense. :!: Sort of. :?

 

[Ryder]

Why do people who lie and cheat always seem to do better in life than people who try to do the right thing or is it just a perception??
What is your opinion?

I think over the long haul you will be blessed by living by the golden rule. I can look at many what I call flashes in the pan that seemed to prosper by doing wrong but in the long haul most have crashed and burned. Its the long haul that you have to look at but it does at time seem to take a long time to see it happen.

Once again I have to go along with the wise words put forth by Jogeephus.

I would have said,
"What goes around comes around. An If you ain't seen that , you need to watch a while longer."

 

[alisonb]

There is a saying - "If you try and don't succeed, cheat" :shock: . I do believe if you are going to live a life of dishonesty it will prevent you from achieving fulfillment.

There are some good opinions given here, I especially like this one -

One thing I know - from good people, evidence of honesty and hard work earns respect and admiration and those people will stand up for you.
However, honesty can be faked.

 

[alisonb]

Once again I have to go along with the wise words put forth by Jogeephus.

I would have said,
"What goes around comes around. An If you ain't seen that , you need to watch a while longer."

:nod: :nod:

 

[chrisy]

If you do cheat in life who are you cheating but yourself...so how have you won? you have lived a lie and not achieved anything in the true sence...and only you can live with that...are your friends true friends?, are your loved ones with you for who you are? as who are you if you are living this lie?....in the end only you and God will know the real truth.