Stephan Pastis, once again, displays great acumen about human nature. Through Rat’s attempt at a children’s book (feeble as it is), Pastis acknowledges a fundamental truth about human nature: there is no such thing as a purely altruistic act.

Elly loves Henry and loves giving gifts. She is keenly observant to all his stated (and maybe unstated) needs; and, as Henry’s birthday draws near, she goes to the ends of the earth to find the perfect gift to express, “I love you, Henry!” Now, if the “story” had ended there, we could accuse Rat of allegory, or at least some well-trodden attempt at rephrasing the Gospel message and move on, relatively unaffected. But, Rat’s story does not end there, it goes on (praise the Lord). Elly’s love for giving gifts isn’t altruistic, but, deep down, self serving: she expects Henry to show her the (exact) same love that she showed him. So, when Henry shows up with just a plain old gift for her birthday, she…well…stomps him to death. Now we stand and, rather than accuse Rat, we applaud Rat for his brilliant insight into the sickness of humanity: pride, so puffed up by “good” works, will become resentful when due reward is not received for those good works.

I’ll rely on Gerhard Forde to close, “Never mind that when we look to ourselves we find no sign of good works. Never mind our fears and anxieties. We are looking in the wrong place. Look to Christ. He has done it all. Nothing will be gained by trying to shore up the Old Adam. Christ leaves nothing for the old Adam and Eve to do” (On Being a Theologian of the Cross, 110)

COMMENTS

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11 responses to “"No Sign of Good Works"”

1. Caroline says:

   07/15/2009 at 10:10 am

   really cool post

   Reply
2. L.R.E. Larkin says:

   07/15/2009 at 1:13 pm

   thanks, caroline!

   Reply
3. David Browder says:

   07/16/2009 at 8:33 am

   Lauren, you got some love from the White Horse Inn on Twitter!

   Reply
4. petros says:

   07/16/2009 at 10:09 pm

   Indeed, there is "no such thing as a purely altruistic act." In the Heidelberg Disputation (1518) Luther warned that we should fear our good works, for we use them as leverage against God and neighbor, taking pride in them, and trying to bank them for future returns. By them we would make God our lackey. Luther's teaching on Christian vocation horizontalized good deeds with no verticalization toward God. "Keep your good works out of heaven," he said, "God doesn't need them, but your neighbor does." Giving to get is not how God gives. But I'm terribly crappy at this.

   Petros

   Reply
5. petros says:

   07/17/2009 at 9:53 pm

   Forde is great. Just as good, if not better, are Dr. David Scaer and Dr. Kurt Marquart. Check 'em out.

   Petros

   Reply
6. L.R.E. Larkin says:

   07/18/2009 at 9:39 am

   Browder: YEAH I KNOW…DZ told me and I almost fell over.

   Petros: Thanks for the author suggestions. The hard thing about doing even good works for our neighbor is the eventual puffing up of our pride–which in itself has effects. So while our neighbor may need them (good works)…what they need more is the Love that pours out of us that has been poured into us from Jesus. A work sans love will fail to meet our neighbor's need; but a work done out of love, out of a response to the overwhelming proclamation of the cross meets our neighbor's need because it's Love. Now, I'm not saying that you said anything contrary to these thoughts…i'm just musing outloud (so to speak).

   Thanks for the Luther quotes…I wish I had more luther in my head, but I spent so much time in seminary studying Barth…

   Thanks for your comments!

   Reply
7. petros says:

   07/18/2009 at 8:05 pm

   L.R.E., I wholeheartedly agree, and thanks for making the point. Without love, the love of Christ, nothing is good. My point, however, centered upon the false notion that the unregenerate can do purely altruistic acts. Luther learned in the monastery that when he served his brothers in order to gain favor with God, that in the end it was a wholely selfish act.

   Petros

   Reply
8. L.R.E. Larkin says:

   07/21/2009 at 3:27 pm

   Petros, thanks!

   I only have one question: whom are you calling the "unregenerate"? I'm curious, not attacking. I just want to make sure I understand you clearly.

   Reply
9. petros says:

   07/21/2009 at 9:50 pm

   L.R.E.,

   I'm speaking of the unbeliever and also my recalcitrant flesh, which cannot be reformed, only slain, drowned that is in my baptism. However, since the Old Adam is a very good swimmer, to quote Doctor Luther, we are to live daily in our baptisms mortifying the flesh each day until we clothe ourselves one last time in the vestment of baptismal grace and pass away. But I'm preaching to the choir, and a good one at that.

   Petros.

   Reply
10. L.R.E. Larkin says:

    07/28/2009 at 8:24 am

    petros:

    right. amen. often I return to the one thing i know: i was baptized.

    thanks for clarifying.

    Reply
11. Paula says:

    06/27/2012 at 10:31 pm

    hey how come the comic doesn’t enlarge for me?

    Reply