The Question of Compensation

January 1, 1970

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Since Emerson wrote his essay on compensation, it has been difficult to say anyting new

on the subject. “The world looks like… a mathematical equation,” he said, “which, turn it how

you will, balance itself.”… “Things refuse to be mismanaged long.”… “There is always come

leveling circumstance.”… “You cannot do wrong without suffering wrong.”… “If you tax too

high, the revenue will yield nothing.”… “In labor as in life there can be no cheating. The thief

steals from himself. The swindler swindles himself.”… “Men suffer all their life long, under the

foolish superstition that they can be cheated. But it is… impossible for a man to be cheated by

anyone but himself.” So much for Emerson and his essay. But this one thought further we

should like to leave: There are some in the world who are willing, some less willing, some

unwilling – to work, to serve, to give of themselves. And one of the lessons we earnestly need

to learn is that life does not give its best satisfaction to those who deliberately withhold their

helpfulness. It is true that a willing person sometimes seems to be imposed upon, but for every

useful part he performs, he is somehow rewarded. Aside from all else, he feels good inside

himself; while a niggardly, unwilling nature, which gives only grudgingly, is grudgingly

rewarded. No doubt there will be some cynicism concerning this subject. And it would be

difficult to prove to someone who is cynical just how, precisely, a person would be paid for

every service, for every effort, for every good deed done. We cannot always tell the cynical

precisely how nature will reward or how the Lord God will return good for good; but as surely

as we live, he who withholds himself from service, he who won’t do one stroke more than what

he feels is his so-called fair share, is going to miss more than he can calculate. As surely as we

live, he who shirks will shrivel inside himself, and he who hides his light loses light. “Every virtue

is rewarded, every wrong redressed, in silence and certainty.”

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