In his article titled "The Problem of Goodness," Chuck Colson notes that at particular times (like the Christmas season) good deeds seem to flourish. For instance, Colson writes, "The same person who cut you off in traffic last month may be ladling soup at the local homeless shelter … . our favorite Christmas movies and stories are rife with examples of generosity." Colson wrestles with the question of what drives us to do good deeds, especially for the less-fortunate.
Then he shares a personal example:
I was struck by this when attending a special-needs basketball game for my autistic grandson, Max. He played alongside about 30 children who suffered autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and other conditions. The gym was filled not just with parents, but with volunteers and coaches who donated their time for these kids on a regular basis. But why are they doing this?
Colson contends that Darwin's theory of natural selection can't explain why we're kind to others with special needs. "According to this theory, so-called weaker ones like these children would have been eliminated." Instead, Colson notes,
Christians understand that while all of us are born with the capacity to selfishness and cruelty, we are also capable of caring for others. Because we are created in the image of God, we not only don't have to struggle against our neighbors for survival, we can love them and even willingly die for them.
