Addressing the ‘most’ in doing the most good
By Elizabeth Reid
For anyone who has worked with The Salvation Army in any capacity, at one point or another, you’ve probably heard our brand promise of Doing the Most Good®.
“How vain,” some might think and others may come to the conclusion that we are arrogant due to the use of “most.” How can one organization claim the title of being the most helpful? The fact is, this is all due to the misinterpretation of the word “most” as we are using it.
When we are using the word “most” in our promise of Doing the Most Good®, we are not comparing ourselves to other nonprofit organizations. We do not think we are the best, nor do we fight in a competitive way to do the most good relative to other organizations.
Rather, we strive to live out what the great Methodist minister John Wesley said: “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can!”
Wesley would later be the inspiration that drove a traveling preacher, William Booth, to begin a ministry that soon became The Salvation Army in 1865. The phrase Doing the Most Good® originated from a quote by our co-founder, Catherine Booth: “There is no reward equal to that of doing the most good to the most people in the most need.”
As we carry on the good work that Catherine and William Booth began, we have adopted this phrase as a rallying cry to reach as many people as we possibly can as holistically as we possibly can – meeting physical, emotional and spiritual needs to the best of our ability. This is, in our minds, doing the most good for each individual as we are able.
To fulfill our mission, we know that we cannot do it alone. We are proud to partner with many wonderful organizations in Minnesota, North Dakota and around the world whose services compliment ours.
So when you think about it, is our brand promise boastful? Dare we promise to do all we can to serve others in the name of Jesus Christ? The answer is yours to make.
Sign up to volunteer with The Salvation Army now and start Doing the Most Good® today.