Doing good deeds is very useful! How to do good deeds for an Orthodox Christian

From childhood, a child is taught certain rules of social behavior. “Do good” is one of them. However, for various reasons, both children and their parents often do not comply with this rule, however, this has little effect on their lives. So is it worth doing good to other people?

Doing good brings you joy

People are not alike due to different types of upbringing, social habits and outlook on life. The more good you do, the more happiness you get. Is it true? For some, it is a great joy to feed a hungry kitten curled up on the threshold of the entrance, while others will pass by and not even notice it. And the point here is not that some are able to help, but others are not. Basically, everyone can help, but it’s just a matter of desire. Goodness fills the human soul with happiness, because there is nothing better than seeing gratitude on the face of the person you helped. Having done good, a person feels the same pleasure as the person whom he was able to help. But not always.

Good is the basis of a person, his core, aspiration and faith. If a person does not have this quality, he will not try to do good, because he does not understand that it can bring good to him specifically. Such people are selfish, and without doing good they turn into evil people. How to react to such people and should you treat them kindly?

To kill evil, you need to do good to evil people?

On this score, wise people have one answer: good people and evil cannot be treated equally, good people deserve a good attitude, and evil people deserve a fair one. It’s hard to disagree with this, since other behavior is simply contrary to human nature - now it’s quite rare to meet a person who, after a blow to the cheek, is ready to turn the other one. People get used to the fact that they are forced to survive, which means they are forced to fight evil. At the same time, evil cannot be punished by evil; other peaceful ways should be sought.

Evil deeds inevitably poison the human soul. You need to deal with evil people according to justice. For example, if one person constantly offends another and does nasty things to him. Neither words nor requests help, and even an indifferent attitude has no effect on the villain. If you respond in kind, it may be perceived as evil, and, in principle, if you act like the offender, you yourself are little different from him. What does fair mean? This means that since a person does not deserve to be treated well, one should treat him with disdain and not do anything kind to him. In any case, the measures of justice are different for everyone, so everyone is free to choose for themselves what fair revenge on evil means to them.

Good cannot be indifferent

Every person observes how much evil is happening on our land - wars, murders, terrible diseases, accidental deaths. And many troubles, unfortunately, occur not only because someone does evil, but because good people do not want to confront him and silently watch what is happening. And this behavior was equated with evil by many thinkers. It should be suppressed when it just begins to emerge, and one should not wait for good deeds, since any expectation can bring more troubles than evil itself.

Is it possible to pass by a person who sincerely asks a passerby for help? Perhaps it depends on his participation whether the sufferer can survive or not. If you push his hand away, that will also be evil. Unfortunately, people do not always understand that they are doing evil, since the measures of this concept are different for everyone, and evil itself is never recognized that it is such by nature. Therefore, every day you need to sow seeds of goodness around yourself, and soon they will sprout into a lush garden for those who sincerely did good deeds.

Goods do not need to be counted, like apples at the market.

If you ask several people about the reasons why they do good, the answers will be different. Some people do this by the will of their souls out of good intentions, while others do it for themselves. And the point here is not the simple joy that a person shared his kindness with someone, but the fact that he will count on the fact that he is now obliged to do good. On this score, folk wisdom has one answer - goodness does not tolerate calculations and entries in the calendar. A person should not expect that because of good deeds all the stones in his path will be removed; he should accept all subsequent events humbly.

We must do good and not expect reward. You should not live by the rule “you - to me, I - to you,” because the rules of trading on the market cannot be applied to human relationships. If the person who has been helped is required to do something in return, it turns out that good can be bought and sold, but this is not so.

By taking away the love of goodness, you are taking away the delights of life.

Good means smiles, laughter, joy and happiness both for the one to whom they did good and for the one who acted kindly. Human nature is such that people feel the need to take care of someone and help someone. For some, helping themselves is the main task, and these are selfish people who will never know what real happiness consists of. For others, doing good is as necessary as breathing and eating. Without doing good, a person feels empty and useless to anyone. Therefore, if a person strives to do a good deed, he cannot be dissuaded from it, since this is the meaning of his life.

Do good and you will avoid evil

Good is like a boomerang - it will definitely return to the person who did it. The same applies to evil. Any bad thoughts and deeds will be avenged, and good deeds will be rewarded with goodness. People who do good to others gradually crowd out evil from the world, which means they reduce the possibility of its occurrence. Today you will help a needy person and save him from starvation, and tomorrow someone will donate money for an operation for a terminally ill person. In this way, good will spread and will soon defeat the manifestations of evil.

Bad habits don't go well with good ones

Whether it is possible to learn to do good is a moot point. This largely depends on the person himself, and whether he is ready to sacrifice his desires for the sake of a good deed. The desire to become kinder alone is worth a lot and is the basis for one’s re-education. Kindness today is a rather scarce quality, but it depends on it whether this world can still exist or will soon perish. According to aphorisms, evil character traits completely retreat before good deeds. By doing good and seeing its consequences, a person will never be able to do evil again.

Goodness creates a small world around a person in which good mood, smiles, happiness and kindness reign. Is it possible to leave this world voluntarily? Only if a person has a natural attraction to evil. It is psychologically important for him to see the suffering and pain of other people, and most often this need arose in a person due to a difficult childhood, which is why you should not allow a child to be unhappy and lonely, even if he is a stranger to you.

Doing good must be done unconditionally and immeasurably

Good is a thing that cannot end, and therefore it should be shared with everyone who needs it and who deserves it. There are so many unhappy and desperate people around, for whom the kindness of others is salvation. You should not skimp on kindness; if you have the opportunity, help and do a good deed. It’s wonderful when you feel the power to help, it means that you are no longer living on this earth in vain. Do not make good conditional, because a good deed done by decree loses its power.

Aphorisms about goodness

There are a lot of discussions about the nature of goodness and the need to do good deeds; with the help of them, the sages shared their wisdom, worldview and life experience. Aphorisms about goodness have a very deep meaning and help a person decide for himself whether it is worth doing good or not. One of the well-known aphorisms says that those who talk too much about doing good waste the time allotted for doing good deeds.

The meaning of many aphorisms is that doing good is true joy, and that trying to take away the desire to do good is equivalent to trying to take away the beauty of life. There are also often aphorisms that goodness is immortal, and good deeds must be repaid only with goodness.

It's time to do good! Create it and be happy!

Greetings, my friends!

Of course, each of us knows from childhood that doing good deeds is good and right. But you probably haven’t thought about the fact that this is also very useful for yourself! How? Let's talk about this.

You only need to do good deeds sincerely!

We were all told fairy tales as children. And we all remember how the heroes of these fairy tales, doing good deeds, eventually received their reward for it. Well, fairy tales are very wise and they really preach the right things.

As I already wrote in the article about, everything that we gave into this world comes back to us - both good and evil. Therefore, it is much wiser to give good things into the world - you will receive them back multiplied.

But before you rush to move old ladies across the road and remove kittens from trees, you should know one rule. The exchange of energies (your giving of energy to the world and its return to you) is possible only when you do good deeds sincerely. Because if you start doing good deeds “for show,” that is, without investing your spiritual energy in it, but only hoping that it will “count” for you, then nothing will come back to you in terms of energy. Of course, you haven’t given anything into the world.

It is important to understand here that the Universe “sees” not so much our physical actions, but rather our internal messages. If we take the example of the notorious old lady being transferred across the road, then you are unlikely, from the point of view of the Universe, to do a good deed if, while helping the old lady, you are indignant to yourself and think about how this situation infuriates you.

And this happens quite often when a person helps someone not because he feels a desire to help, but, for example, out of a sense of duty or because “it’s customary” or “it’s inconvenient to refuse.” And so he seems to be helping, but he himself is angry at the situation, at the people he is forced to help, at the circumstances that forced him to do this. And in the end, it turns out that while seemingly doing a good deed, he actually throws out so much negativity into the world that nothing good will definitely come back to haunt him.

What can be concluded from this? And such that you need to help someone only when you feel that it does not cause negative emotions in you. And if the circumstances have developed in such a way that it is impossible to refuse (such situations happen quite often), then you urgently need to deal with your emotions and thoughts and try to look at the situation more clearly. After all, it is very possible that this situation is a kind of opportunity to give you the opportunity to become more tolerant and friendly.

Kindness is a source of internal energy!

By the way, another “side effect” of doing good deeds sincerely
and from the bottom of my heart is that it fills you very well and. Surely you have noticed that when you helped someone completely disinterestedly, you then felt a lift of spirit and a surge of energy.

So if we talk about saturation with internal energy, then here’s another way for you - to do good deeds.

There is one wise saying that I really like. It sounds like this: “If you don’t know what to do, choose the kindest one out of all the options.” This is indeed a very wise thought, because we cannot always predict and calculate what one or another of our actions will ultimately lead to. And a sincere desire for good will certainly not attract negativity into your life.

And the desire to do good deeds serves as an indicator of your fullness of internal energy. Because only when you are filled do you feel the desire to give, to bring positivity and goodness into the world. Therefore, if you feel that you don’t want to do anything good to anyone, it’s time to think hard - this means that your level of internal energy is quite low. But the flow of all sorts of benefits into your life depends on the degree of filling with internal energy!

Feel free to do good deeds, my friends! Good always comes back to you! And this happens exactly at the moment when you especially need it! Remember once again the wise fairy tales - after all, at the most difficult moment, the hero receives help from those whom he saved or set free. Let's remember this. And let's do good deeds!

Your Ekaterina :))

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“Faith without works is dead”, “what you did to one of these little ones, you did to Me”, “a person is justified by works, and not by faith alone” - these and many other Gospel words instruct Christians to live in the format of good works.

The Holy Fathers instruct that not only deeds are needed. At the same time, it is still necessary to have good thoughts, and love for your neighbors in your heart.

But is it always possible to combine? What if at some point in life, a “many-year-old Christian” suddenly becomes tired of good deeds, and when they ask for help, you find the strength to respond only “with a creaky heart.”

Is it possible to continue to provide assistance if at the same time irritation reigns in the soul? When there is anger in your heart, are such “good” deeds necessary? Why does this condition even occur?

These and many other questions were answered by the leader of the popular Kyiv “youth”, the spiritual mentor of Orthodox volunteers, a resident of the Kyiv Trinity St. John’s Monastery, Archimandrite Joasaph (Peretyatko).

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– Father Joasaph, the Synodal Department of the UOC for Youth Affairs, in which you work, even published a book – “We are called to good deeds.” What to do if at some point you no longer feel the strength to do these kindest deeds, even when asked?

– We are truly called to good works – according to the Gospel. But we need to understand why and for what we help. Dostoevsky generally did not trust those who do good not for the sake of Christ, outside the Gospel...

Many people today spend enormous amounts of money on charity. What motivates them? Want to help? On the one hand, yes. But on the other hand, this is how they gain satisfaction by feeling their importance. That is, in this case, the engine of good deeds is vanity.

Undoubtedly, vanity is mixed with every good deed. But if Christians, those who read the Gospel, try to monitor and cut off vanity, then people who trust exclusively in their own minds can help others for years, decades, precisely because of vanity.

Christians are often accused of doing good in an attempt to earn the Kingdom of Heaven. Unfortunately, sometimes even believers think so. This is a wrong, sinful understanding of the Gospel. A person must learn to help people not for the sake of himself or his own salvation, but for the sake of his neighbor.

But human nature is infected with sin, and we cannot do something simply for the sake of another. We must have something to motivate us for all our actions. The motivation “for the sake of my salvation” is, as we have already mentioned, not entirely correct. Do something for your neighbor? Well, excuse me, for the sake of another person I can, for example, go help rearrange the furniture, but then I’ll still run off to do my own thing.

It turns out that doing anything for the sake of another person is very difficult. There is pride, which acts as a kind of brake that prevents you from moving forward.

Therefore, the first moment of fatigue from good deeds occurs when external, non-evangelical motivators stop working.

– What if there were no wrong motivations? Man initially intended to serve his neighbor because the Lord commanded so...

– I’ll answer in the words of Stanislavsky: I don’t believe it! Or, as the main character of the American TV series “House” said, “everyone lies.” People deceive either others or themselves.

Why did the saints never tire of doing good deeds? Because they did it in the literal sense of the word for the sake of their neighbor, and nothing was mixed into it.

…Once in my youth, my friends and I took the car for a ride, and it turned out that the battery was dead. And we were going to another city – 250 km away. I had to drive in such a way as not to stop anywhere - it was impossible to turn off the engine. And if someone needed to get out, the car just rolled slowly.

So is our life. The brakes on the spot are our pride, which does not want to do anything for the sake of our neighbor. But the battery ran out: a reluctance to do good deeds appeared or was initially present. So what now? And you need to get out of your car, in which it was so comfortable to race, and push it forward yourself. And this is the first step of understanding that it is time to do something not for yourself, but for the sake of your neighbor.

– The Holy Fathers say that you cannot do good deeds if you do not feel love for your neighbor. And now you don’t have love in your heart, but you need to do something or are asked to do something. What should you do in this case - step over yourself, creak and do it, or refuse until you overcome your pride?

“But you can’t get rid of pride if you don’t do good deeds.”

When volunteers come to me with the question: “What should I do, I don’t feel love? When I do good deeds, I begin to be proud,” I answer: “That’s right. It’s better to sit at home, watch TV and be proud that you are not proud of doing good deeds.” A person is proud in any case...

As for love, we often throw this word around. But let's take a close look at the letter of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians: “Love is patient and does not seek its own...” Suddenly it turns out that we do not fit this description. A boy can love a girl, but it will not be love, but ordinary passion. A husband can love his wife, but this may not be Christian love, but a habit.

We do not find love in its pure form, and it turns out to be a vicious circle. On the one hand, a person must love. To learn to love, you need to learn to sacrifice. You won’t learn to sacrifice until you learn to force yourself. But a person cannot force himself, because he was told that everything in his life should be done with love...

It is necessary to force yourself. Another thing is how long? Doing good deeds can also burn you out. It is important to stick to the golden mean, to understand how much you can handle. If, for example, after listening to me, someone decides to start visiting orphanages and helping all the grandmothers in the world, the person is clearly overzealous. Good food, as well as bad food, can be overfed. Therefore, the proportionality of one’s spiritual strength and good deeds is important.

It's like monastic life. When a novice arrives, he is strictly forbidden to stand out; he must follow the rule laid down for novices, and no more. And in our Christian life it’s like this - the Lord called us to do good deeds, we at least do the minimum, but we must do them - like everyone else... Having reached spiritual maturity, the novice reaches the rank of monk and must fulfill more - rules, bows. But, again, like all monks.

So it is in worldly life. A person is already working “like everyone else” - helping grandparents, his relatives, which means he can move to another level: doing a little more than others... When the monk gets stronger, following all the monastic rules, in 20, 40 years, he can come to to the confessor and ask: “I don’t have enough. Can I pray more?” The confessor will answer: “Yes, try.” Likewise, a Christian, seeing that he is “pulling”, can take upon himself something beyond the norm.

The main point - I focus on it - is the proportionality of the forces to the feat. For a Christian, all forward movement is based on this.

Another important aspect. The Lord taught us to do good deeds. Yes, we read the words of Christ, but at the same time we observe little of His life. The evangelists described equally what He said and how He lived. The Lord healed. For Yourself? No. And He didn’t even do it for the sake of preaching. And he did not show miracles in order to make people believe. He asked: “Do you believe?” As much as a person believed, he received what he asked for. But there were moments when the Savior healed without faith. Why? Because He did it not for His own sake, but for the sake of man.

And we need to learn to do good deeds not for our own sake, and especially not in order to “earn” salvation.

I know from experience: when a person does good for himself, he is a short-lived volunteer. Definitely. Moreover, volunteering has several stages. The first is that a person lights up and starts doing a lot. I'm afraid of this stage, because sooner or later he will burn out. He will burn out precisely because he did it for himself. Then, at the second stage, when a person suddenly “stalled”, he has to force himself to do good deeds. This is where real change in the human spirit begins.

By the way, I once saw the results of one study, “Changes in value orientations in the process of volunteering.” And amazingly, I didn’t even expect it myself, but the survey demonstrates that there are changes. Yes, people change. What’s most interesting is that the longer a person engages in volunteering, the more stable and Christian these changes become. The person becomes more holistic.

– In this regard, a question. You answered the bewilderment “What should I do?” – Overcome reluctance and continue to work. But tell me, what will happen next? What to expect? So, will you have to force yourself like this for the rest of your life?

- How would we like it? To give them a push, to start the car, to get in and drive off? This won't happen. Just push...

Let's look at the example of prayer. At the beginning, when a person just lights up with faith, he is ready to spend the night in the temple. His morning and evening prayers fly “at once”, during the service - tears flow like a river, and he himself soars into the sky. Saint Theophan the Recluse called this prevenient grace. Then the Lord takes away this prevenient grace, and the person is left alone with his sinfulness. This is where the problems begin. I don’t want to pray, I have to force myself. I want to go to church, but it turns out I have no time. We start looking for excuses why we can’t go to work...

What recommendations do the holy fathers give us in this situation? No matter what, attend services, read morning and evening prayers. And sometimes in our soul, like the sun from behind the clouds, this feeling will appear - that all this is not in vain. Not in vain. Such sensations – second, minute – depending on who you are. Here it is, the sun came out, warmed up a little, and again the routine, again the work.

Of course, the more diligently a person prays and lives a spiritual life, the more often the sun will appear. For example, our Pechersk hermits did not need people, the sun of grace constantly warmed them. And they were very afraid of losing this feeling.

The same thing happens to a Christian throughout his life. If the parallel with prayer is transferred to good deeds, it turns out that we will have to push until the end of our days. But there will be moments, brief moments when you understand that all your efforts are not in vain. You helped your neighbor move furniture and you rejoice not because you are so good, but because of how pleasant it will now be for the person to live with new furniture. So, by regularly pushing ourselves, we will come to a state where we can do good deeds for everyone and everything without vanity.

And it is extremely important that everything happens in the Church, only then our good deeds will benefit us. After all, there are many companies, millionaires, engaged in charity. It seems like they are doing a good job - they feed a lot of people, go to orphanages with gifts. But for what?

- For the sake of the children...

– Again: I don’t believe it.

– Who do you even believe?!

- No one... “Every person is a lie.”

Even when a person does everything in secret, out of love for his neighbors... We are all sinful people, we have this worm in us - pride and vanity. A person may not need recognition from the whole world. The very realization that “I’m such a great guy” warms the soul so much that he is ready to do good “secretly” for the sake of it, even around the clock.

Let me make a reservation: I don’t believe in human motivation, but I do believe in the Gospel. Christ said that you need to help for the sake of your neighbors. To be honest, I can’t do that myself. Nobody can. But we must strive for this.

- They say that after death all our actions will become clear, lists of good and evil deeds will open. If you do good under compulsion, will it… “count”?

– That’s how I imagine this picture... A room, a throne, the Lord sits, and next to Him are angels with lists, and on the other side are demons. Both sit and compare, determining who has more written down... Some kind of too primitive, even pagan understanding.

Good deeds should change the human soul, they should teach us to see and notice our neighbor. For example, a person has forced himself to do good all his life. He gets into the Kingdom of Heaven, the Lord says to him: “Listen, you forced yourself so much that you learned to do it.” - “But I didn’t see this in myself, Lord!” - "Right! After all, if I saw it, I would become proud...” Or maybe it would be different. He will say: “Lord, I tried my best, but I did everything.” And the Lord will answer: “Yes, through force, but I never learned anything.”

We think too stereotyped. The main thing is the state of our soul. So lists are not important here. What is important is how much we have learned to notice our neighbor and do something for his sake, forgetting about ourselves.

– Often people who ask for our help do not evoke good feelings in us - for various reasons. What should I do? After all, even though you help, the person still sees that he is unpleasant to you...

– ...One child could not go into his grandmother’s room. He loved his grandmother very much, but could not go to her. When he was asked why he did not visit his grandmother, the child replied: “It stinks there.” This is such an unpleasant but honest answer.

If it is unpleasant to communicate with a sick person, ask yourself, for example, the following question: “What if we go to the Kingdom of Heaven with him? How will I feel? Having looked at the situation from this angle, we suddenly discover that none of us is ready for the Kingdom of Heaven. It turns out that in order to love and accept another person, you need to put in so much work...

From personal experience I will say: when I need to help a person, but I don’t want to do this at all, I imagine myself in his place. And I understand that I would help myself. This means you need to come and help – at least as much as you can.

There's a fine line here. On the one hand, there should be no guile, you need to be honest with yourself, admit: “Yes. It's not pleasant. I don't want. I don’t want to sit with him, smile, communicate. But I can bring food.” That is, do not try to lift an unbearable burden. In general, it is very important that good deeds are not mixed with wickedness. When helping others, I must learn to do it for his sake, and not for my own sake - we have already talked about this. But it is impossible to shift the focus to my neighbor if I am disingenuous.

– If you don’t feel the strength to help, but people ask. Would it be a sin to refuse?

– This is a difficult question because it is personal. Unfortunately, we are now accustomed to finding answers to all questions, and often on the Internet. But most questions have no answers. Same with this...

First of all, you need to know yourself well. There are different cases, and the refusal will work in different ways. You have to look at the situation. In general, every good deed of ours should be conscious and thoughtful, so that you cannot just do it in passing. You need to work on every action you take.

– Surely there are people who help 100 times a day and don’t even think about it...

– My sports background testifies that what comes easily does not bring any benefit. While everything is easy for the athlete, there is no progress. The last two sets, the last two squats, the last two circuits are the hardest, but provide the greatest physical benefits.

It's the same with the soul. When I pray easily, there are benefits, of course, but it doesn’t move me forward. At the very least, I’m standing still. What moves you forward is what you have to overcome.

Maybe someone manages to do good in passing, and they benefit from it. But, reading the memories of the saints, of the elders, when they received people all day long, was it easy for them? - No. But they well understood the gospel principle - “when someone else’s pain becomes yours.”

– And the last question. Now there are a lot of requests for help coming from everywhere. How can a person not get confused and correctly navigate where to direct his strength?

– First of all, it is necessary to decide what is most important to him.

For example, someone had good memories of their grandmother, but since she lived far away, it was not possible to pay enough attention to her. If it’s easy to communicate with your grandparents, then you need to go to a nursing home.

If a person feels that sick children are closer to him, the same thing applies. Unfortunately, oncology among children has become a very common disease. And, paradoxically, many help not because children need it, but because it is popular - it is popular to help children with cancer, children in orphanages. Other types of diseases - no less severe - for some reason, on the contrary, are unpopular.

You need to look at what is closer, what your soul opens to. This is on the one hand. On the other hand, when a person begins to volunteer, it is important that he takes a closer look at himself and understands what makes him help these people. Once again, honesty in good deeds is CRITICALLY important. If a person doesn’t realize that he drives because he simply doesn’t want to sit at home... This is also motivation, and I don’t see anything wrong with it. If you honestly admit this to yourself, over time such motivation will develop into something else, definitely!

It will be worse when a person is not aware of the motivation of his actions, but believes that he is doing good because he himself is so kind. Over time, he will get tired of being kind, he will find a bunch of excuses why he can’t help anymore, and that’s the end of it.

Striving for honesty - evangelical, deep honesty, moving away from pharisaism - this is the main thing. You shouldn’t be afraid to look into your soul, admit to yourself: yes, I go to children with cancer, because everyone does it, because it’s popular. After all, all the same, when you come to these children, you see their eyes, the eyes of their parents, how much pain there is in them. Christian secrets of the soul are revealed, and views on the world change. A person may continue to mentally humiliate and reproach himself. And the Lord looks at the heart and says: “Oh, brother. And you... have already grown up!”

Every parent dreams that his child will grow up to be a worthy member of society and simply a good person. When listing the desired character traits for her baby, any mother will name kindness among them. But this is such an abstract concept that it is very difficult to explain it to a first grader. No problem, practical exercises will help! Let's try to make a list of good deeds for children right now.

Doing good is appropriate in any situation

You should start with a conversation; it is very good if this topic is raised during a “class hour” at school, but parents at home should also pay attention to raising their child in this matter. It is important to convey to every child one simple idea: if each of us is kinder and more attentive to everything that surrounds him, the world will become a better place. You need to treat others the way you want them to treat you. Animals, nature and the surrounding space as a whole also need care. Remember that it is difficult for children to think abstractly and broadly. It is for this reason that it makes sense to put together a list of good deeds for children. Having such a hint, the child will definitely understand and remember what good is, and will also be able to become a better person. What to write on such a list? Below we will give various examples; for convenience, it is useful to have a large list of “significant” tasks that are performed from time to time, and a small one for every day. But be sure to make a rule - not a day without a good deed!

A smile will make everyone warmer!

It would seem that what’s so difficult about this is to smile at the first passerby or salesperson in a store? And now, comrades, adults, remember with what facial expression you most often go out into the street. That's the same, but if everyone smiled at each other, life would become much more fun and enjoyable! Tell your child how much this kindness means and how important it is to always communicate positively with others. Let your list of good deeds for children begin with “smile at strangers.” But you can also say hello to your housemates and salespeople from stores you regularly visit. Just try it and very soon everyone around you will pick up this initiative. And then, when leaving home, you will not find yourself in a “strange hostile world”, but in the company of old friends.

Giving a mood is easy

Many of us lack attention to others. But it’s very easy to please a person. You can compliment a teacher at school or even a stranger on the street. In fact, this is basic politeness, but often we simply forget about it. So why not add “delighting others” to the list of good deeds a child can do? And if we choose only conversations for strangers and unfamiliar people, then we should have a completely different attitude towards loved ones. Parents should under no circumstances scold a first-grader because he gave some small item of his to a school friend, shared a pen and forgot to pick it up, or decided to treat a friend with candy. On the contrary, encourage such actions, because, in essence, this is kindness.

Attention, help needed!

Most children are kind and sympathetic by nature. Already at the age of 4-5 years, the child considers himself quite independent and “adult” and is ready to carry out a variety of assignments and tasks. What is noteworthy is that this is a completely selfless urge; the baby is ready to receive only praise for his own help. Invite your child to look around him from time to time and ask the question: “Who can I help and how can I help?” Even a first grader can carry a stack of notebooks for the teacher, take on some of the homework, or take part in cleaning the school office. A complete stranger may also need help - to take a pensioner across the road, to tell the time or the way - all these “pioneer” examples can happen in real life at any time. And of course, no one should remain on the sidelines if something extraordinary happens. Every child should know that if he witnesses a situation that he cannot resolve on his own, he should immediately call an adult for help and tell him everything he knows about the incident.

Caring for our little brothers

Child psychologists around the world say that having a pet is very beneficial for a child’s development. An animal in the house teaches the baby responsibility, compassion and care. A first-grader or an older preschooler can completely independently care for almost any pet that is kept in a cage, a cat or a small to medium-sized dog. But even if your family already has a pet, your list of good deeds for children should definitely include caring for animals in general. Feed the birds on the street, a stray cat or dog with your child. You can also make a birdhouse or feeder for birds. It is very good if the school also has a living corner where children can not only watch animals, but also take care of them.

Nature also needs your participation

Think about how often you could do good deeds? A list for children on this topic must include concern for ecology and the environment. Are you going on a hike or just a picnic? Don't forget to take a garbage bag, or better yet several. And before you start eating or setting up camp, invite your child to clean up the chosen clearing. Often, garbage lies under our feet, even in our own yard. There is no need to be embarrassed to put it away, but then it will be nice to go for a walk in a clean place. Children can also, together with their parents, plant a small flower bed near the house or grow flowers at home, on the balcony in the warm season. The list of good deeds for 7-year-old children may also include helping their parents or grandmother at their summer cottage.

Know how to give and you will receive more

In any home there will be things that are not used and are unlikely to be needed in the future. But someone is in dire need of them at this time and sometimes cannot afford to just go and buy them. So why not do some spring cleaning and get rid of everything unnecessary. Of course, children should perform such a good deed only with the approval and help of their parents. Adults should teach the child to easily part with clothes that do not fit him, boring toys and other things that are no longer planned to be used. Where should all this wealth go? Clothes can be donated to some charity organization; try to distribute personal belongings to friends and acquaintances. Remember a simple rule: the more you give, the more you receive - this is the law of the universe that really works. Speaking of charity, usually at the age of 7-8 all children already have their own pocket money. Today, in many shopping centers and public institutions there are donation boxes; invite your child to drop at least a couple of coins into them from time to time, because, quite possibly, these funds will save someone’s life or improve its quality!

You can do good in your own home

Many parents wonder whether it is necessary to include various household chores and norms of communication between household members in the list of good deeds for elementary school children? Think for yourself, is helping one of your relatives do their homework a good deed, or please mom or dad with a cup of tea or a gift for no reason? The answer to both questions is clearly positive. This means that even without leaving our own home, each of us can do good deeds. The list for children of primary school age may include not only helping with housework and taking care of pets, but also many other pleasant and useful little things. First-graders can help in raising and caring for younger children, if any, please relatives with gifts for no reason and offer to help in almost any task - from cleaning to going to the store.

Together we can do more!

Participation in various charity events brings a lot of positive emotions to children and adults. An interesting idea for the school is to organize trips to nursing homes from time to time. During such meetings, students of general education institutions can simply communicate with their grandparents, present handmade gifts, and organize small concerts. Organizing such an event is quite simple, and the effect is simply amazing. Lonely elderly people are very happy about any attention, and children are also pleased and interested in feeling significant. Is it not for the sake of positive emotions that good deeds are done? The list for 2nd grade children may also include holding events for first graders or even patronizing younger ones. Who, if not experienced second-graders, can help those who have recently come to school with their studies and help resolve any problems from untied shoelaces to personal relationships with peers?

From idea to implementation!

You've probably already written a long list of acts of kindness for your kids at school and at home, but be sure to leave the last few lines blank. Encourage your child to think carefully and come up with their own options. Some of them may seem fantastic and impracticable, while others can be tried to become a reality. Of course, the child’s participation in this work does not end with ideas alone. Think together about exactly how you can implement your plans and be sure to involve the young thinker in the implementation. Even with the help of one family or school class, you can do a variety of good deeds; the list for 1st grade children can always be supplemented. The most important thing is that all this is done from the heart and completely unselfishly.

If you look into the holy scriptures, Orthodoxy interprets good as follows: “The good that comes from the heart will certainly return to the person who does good deeds. Good deeds are a blessing from the Lord God. When doing good, there is no need to expect an answer; righteous people do everything selflessly and they feel good about it.”

Currently, many are inclined to believe that good deeds should be done only towards those people who can remember, appreciate and respond in kind. In essence, this is nothing more than a manifestation of one’s own egoism. Therefore, when such a person finds himself in any unpleasant situation, he will be treated in the same way. No one argues what this is, even if a kind of goodness has a right to exist. But still, good deeds should be done just like that without waiting for an answer. To give an example, many people help others without giving their name. Thus, they do not want to attract public attention and are simply happy that they can help their fellow man.

Boomerang Law

Why do good deeds need to be done?

• To calm your soul. In most cases, the “reverse effect” works. This means that a person who has committed a good deed will receive even more good;
• Imagine that you are in a difficult situation. Most likely, you would want someone to help you. Therefore, you need to treat others exactly as you would like them to treat you;
• By doing good deeds, a person experiences complete satisfaction;
• Unfortunately, there are a lot of evil people in our world. If every person does at least one good deed, then there will be much less evil;
• If at any moment you feel unnecessary, and it seems to you that you are nobody in this life, just do a good deed;
• All the good that you bring to people, even if no one knows about it, will correct your destiny and make you happier.

When is the best time to do good?

Good can be done at any time. The most important thing in this matter is that good intentions come from a pure heart. As mentioned above, there is no need to expect returns from the other person. If you do good for selfish reasons and only to be noticed, believe me, it will not bring you happiness, but your conscience will torment you a lot.

Many people think that good deeds can only be done if you have money, but this is not true at all. Try to start saying pleasant and sincere words to your loved ones right now. The most important thing here is to know the line between kindness and flattery. Do not offend people with a thrown word, try to be tactful and do not get angry again.

Who needs help

Why do we so rarely think about who around us needs help? Why do you need to do good? There are so many people who need our attention and care. Disabled children, elderly people, people with disabilities, poor people, etc. Of course, no one talks about the fact that you need to rush at the first grandmother you meet and crush her with your “kind pressure.” You can check if there is a charitable foundation or volunteers in your city. You can help find missing people or, for example, take part in amateur activities for veterans.

Naturally, each of us needs goodness. Why then, for example, not caress your loved one and once again remind him of how much he is loved.

Is it necessary to do good deeds towards evil people?

Remember one simple but clear truth: “Kind people should be treated kindly, and evil people should be treated fairly.” You probably can’t argue with this idea. It is unlikely that if you are hit, you will stand and wait for another blow. Most likely, you will fight back. This is the habit of fighting and resisting evil. In no case should you repay the person who did evil with his own coin - you need to look for a solution that will not lead to unpleasant consequences and will be peaceful.

Evil always brings discomfort to the human soul. Therefore, justice is important in dealing with evil deeds. Imagine being bullied by your coworker every day at work. He humiliates your human dignity and tries in every possible way to slander you in front of your colleagues. You shouldn't throw your fists at him. He is essentially waiting for this. We need to deal with him fairly. Show with all your appearance that you treat him with disdain and every bad word he says to you applies exclusively to him. Of course, each person has the right to decide for himself how to deal with the offender.

Good and indifference

Why do you think kindness and indifference cannot be combined? We are, of course, talking about good thoughts and actions that come from the heart, and are not committed for the sake of self-interest.

Let's try to figure out what evil is. Every day we see war, violence and hooliganism on TV. Evil people are not only those who kill, rob and mock other people, but also those who are simply indifferent to the grief of others. People must react in a timely manner to manifestations of anger and try in every possible way to resist it.

Can you get past the person who asks you for help? It all depends on what your soul is full of - good or evil. A kind person will lend a helping hand, realizing that perhaps this is the only chance for salvation for the person asking, but an evil person will simply pass by.

People do not always understand that they are doing evil. This happens because everyone has different concepts of both good and evil.

Try to do good deeds as often as possible and believe me, your goodness will soon return to you.

Children and good

We were all little once. Most of us were brought up in good families, where a love of goodness was initially instilled. But there are situations when a child from early youth does not understand what good is, but knows perfectly well what evil is. For example, dad constantly hits mom. For a child, this situation becomes the norm, and he projects it into his adult life. In essence, one cannot blame him for this, because no one told him that it was bad. In order for a person to grow up kind and compassionate towards the pain of others, good thoughts must be implanted in him as a child. Otherwise, evil character traits will simply not allow him to do good and kind deeds.

People who do good are happy and in most cases they are surrounded by friends and acquaintances who are similar to themselves. It is unlikely that anyone will want to leave such a cozy little world. The desire to leave can only come if evil has been present in a person since childhood and does not allow him to develop normally. Let us say once again that goodness should be formed in a person from childhood.

So, to summarize, we will say that goodness is a human manifestation that makes not only the person himself happy, but also everyone around him. You can and should be infected with goodness. By doing good deeds every day, you can be sure that in some situation they will definitely help you. Do good, love each other and be happy!