Will Being a Good Person Guarantee a Secure Future?

For centuries, many people have felt that being a good and moral person is the way to a secure future. For example, people in the Orient respected what the philosopher-teacher Confucius (551-479 B.C.E.) said: “What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.”a

A COURSE MANY FOLLOW

Many still believe that proper behavior is the key to a secure future. They try to be respectful, cultivate good manners, recognize their place in society, and maintain a good conscience. “I always believed that if I was honest and sincere,” says Linh, a woman in Vietnam, “I would be blessed in return.”

The same woman serving food to the poor and homeless.

Some are motivated by their religious beliefs to do good. A man named Hsu-Yun, who lives in Taiwan, says, “I was taught that a person’s deeds while he is alive will determine whether he will enjoy endless bliss or suffer torment after he dies.”

WHAT ARE THE RESULTS?

The woman at the end of the day, sad and exhausted, cradling her young son.

It is true that when we do good to others, we enjoy many benefits. However, many who sincerely try to be good to others find that doing so does not always lead to what they might expect. “I learned firsthand that those who do good are not always blessed in return,” says a woman named Shiu Ping, who lives in Hong Kong. “I tried my best to care for my family and to do good. But my marriage failed and my husband abandoned me and my son.”

Many have seen that religion has not always made people better. “I got involved in a religious organization and became a director of youth activities,” says Etsuko, a woman who lives in Japan. “I was shocked to see the loose morals, power struggles, and dishonest use of funds by those involved in my religion.”

“I tried my best to care for my family and to do good. But my marriage failed and my husband abandoned me and my son.”—SHIU PING, HONG KONG

Some who are devout have felt disappointed when their good deeds went unrewarded. That was how Van, a woman from Vietnam, felt. “Every day I bought fruits, flowers, and food and offered them on the altars of my dead ancestors, hoping that I would enjoy blessings in the future,” she says. “Despite all the good deeds and religious rituals that I had performed for many years, my husband was struck with a debilitating disease. Then, while my daughter was studying abroad, she passed away at a young age.”

WHY BEING A GOOD PERSON IS NOT ENOUGH

Being a good person is important, but it is not enough to guarantee a secure future. Why not? Consider what the Holy Writings tell us.

NOT EVERYONE CHOOSES TO DO GOOD

“Just one sinner can destroy much good.”—ECCLESIASTES 9:18.

Even if you try very hard to be a good person, your future can be threatened by the selfish actions of others. For example, during a pandemic you may follow the advice of the authorities and avoid close contact with others. But what if some refuse to cooperate? Their conduct could undermine the health of those who try to do what is right.

PEOPLE CAN BE MISTAKEN ABOUT WHAT IS GOOD OR BAD

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”—PROVERBS 14:12.

History is full of examples of people who pursued a course that they were convinced was good, only to find out that they were wrong. Good intentions do not shield someone from the consequences of bad decisions.

LIFE IS UNPREDICTABLE

“You do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.”—JAMES 4:14.

No matter how virtuous a person may be, his life can be cut short. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, many selfless volunteers lost their lives. Or consider the experience of Liting, a woman in China who lost her father in a car accident. She says: “I couldn’t understand how such a kind person could die. My father was hardworking, down-to-earth, and sincere. He was the only one in the vehicle who was killed.”

If being a good person offers no assurance of a secure future, what does? To answer this question, we need a reliable guide—a source of information that can answer our questions and point the way to a secure future. Where can we find such a guide?

a For a discussion of the influence of Confucian teaching, see chapter 7, paragraphs 31-35, of the book Mankind’s Search for God, published by Jehovah’s Witnesses and available online at www.jw.org.