Service: Another Way To Love One Another

Service is an opportunity that everybody has to contribute to the world. It's like breathing in and breathing out. Although we need to breathe in, it's equally important to breathe out. It's important to receive and it's important to give, and to give of ourselves in the way that actually serves who or what is being served. Well, how do we do that?

I've found often that there are people that conclude they don't know what to do. They think, "Well, I'd like to serve. I'd like to help, but I don't know where to go. I don't know what to do."

My question to them is, "What are you doing about that? Are you looking for ways to serve?"

The simplest approach may be asking, "How can I help?"

When we're not giving, a kind of vacuum starts developing within us. It's an emptiness, a sense of being unfulfilled and incomplete. We're not satisfying that aspect of our human condition that needs to find ways to contribute and care for one another.

We all have a responsibility to contribute because this is not a world that's set up to just come in here, take, and leave. Obviously if that's what was going on, our world would be depleting. Eventually, it would be empty. Our world would become something desolate and lacking in life force.

When there's not sufficient caring and regard for ourselves and our neighbors, then things do become depleted and lacking in ways. There's disease, pollution, and corruption. There's pain and suffering. What we need to do is find ways to give back and overcome the sense that we don't know what to do. So it's wise to ask, "What can I do?"

I ask myself if I have the willingness to make myself available to do something that's not about me -- especially when it would be about a situation that could use assistance and I'm there and able to do it. I choose not to look around and say, "Well, couldn't somebody else help because it's not convenient with my agenda or what I had planned?" I choose to serve.

I consider myself to be my brother's keeper. Even if my brother violated me, abused me or was unkind and disrespectful, that's not a reason to be that way myself. At your brother's or sister's time of need, consider if it's in your place to give to them in some way. It's a tremendous measurement of someone's divinity to have the willingness to put aside the injustice or negativity that's in the world and do something to help and uplift.

When someone sees the opportunity to serve and then takes it, my experience is they open themselves up to blessings. Often it is the dynamic between the one who is serving and the one who is being served that brings the greatest rewards. In the Bible, it says "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:20). In serving someone, we may experience it as having a visitation of that divine presence. Something profound, special, sacred, and holy can take place for both the one choosing to serve and the one receiving the assistance. The blessings are shared.

Part of the test in being of service is to be open to not knowing what we're going to do in order to serve. I'm for approaching service where it isn't necessarily highly organized or detailed. If we get too rigid and regimented about what serving is supposed to be, we don't leave room for the spontaneity and aliveness that comes with the divine presence.

Being of service is something each of us determines for ourselves. The opportunities are at hand. They're often right where we are, even in our own house, neighborhood or community. I see us as being called upon to love one another. I don't look at that as just exclusive to those who are identified with the Christian faith. I consider loving one another as something that all people, regardless of their religion or faith can consider practical. The simple idea of loving one another transcends our identifications or personal histories, the particular natures that we have as individuals that make us unique or different.

I encourage service as a way of demonstrating we are loving and caring for one another. There are qualities in service, in caring and giving to others, that contribute to the upliftment of our world. So we can resolve that, regardless of what we choose to do today, we choose to love one another and do some good. Let's choose to serve in some way.

Comments

[John Morton - Huffpost Blogger]

Yes, service makes a difference just as virtue is its own reward.
You are expressing from a consciousness that serves, helps and uplifts all involved including you. Yes, I consider the being level of a person more essential than the doing level. In the being level opportunities like hope springs eternal. There is a new opportunity in each moment to correct, to heal, to become better. This does not absolve anyone of their responsibility, complete responsibility, for their choices and actions.
I also see that grace through learning, moving on from the past, living from a clearer and better consciousness is always available.
John Morton

[feyangel]

I love doing service for the sake of doing service-- that is, because I love to give to others and to see their lives and the world become "better" in some way because I was present there. AND to be honest, I began doing service almost for a selfish reason-- cos as a young adult I did not have a sense of my own value, of what I had to offer the world. I found that as I stepped up and gave to others that which I had that would be of value to them, I discovered I had gifts and "worth" that I hadn't been aware of previously. I connected with my own value and worthiness in a context of what I had to GIVE. Later, I had to go back in and add in the piece of RECEIVING from others-- which I found gifted me, but also allowed the other person to have the experience of the value THEY had to give, so it gifted them too. Right now I am often aware of LOVING and Life as being a never ending cycle of giving and receiving-- like breathing in and breathing out. Both are necessary and important. . . both have a blessing associated with them-- both are part of the Greater Whole, where ALL IS LOVE.

[john7749]

I have had the opportunity to read a number of your posts, so I hope this it gets to you.

In your blogs you seem to promote a kind of virtue ethics. Virtue ethics promotes the idea
that moral education (or should we say spiritual education?) derives from the
recognition that who I am is more important than my actions. This suggests to
me that it is my responsibility to educate myself. No one can make me care or love.
History is replete with examples.

On the other hand, if I am more important than my actions, isn't this a kind of
egotism? I mean, ethical egoists promote a kind of absolute individuality which
separates us from each other. Ethical egoism says: I am responsible for me,
you are responsible for you. Self enlightened reason says: "I cannot do for you,
only for myself."

I feel strongly this leads to what I call the "Pontius Pilate Syndrome." That is,
a kind of hand washing dismissal of others that even the most jaded homeless
person can detect in volunteers serving food. It's nice to eat, but what is going
to happen to change me or my circumstances?

Where in God's name does this lead us? Anyone can serve.
Does it really make a difference?

JK

[NoCents]

I sure do not like Bah Humbugging your services being BLOGGED here everywhere. I understand self sacrifce, much like I under stood Heroism distored by Bush like serving in the military made you a hero.

No, jumping on a grenade to save your fellow human beings is being a hero. Not serving. Serving in fact maybe the last thing one who love his country might choose to do. Serving those in the service is called USO. A kind thing to do.

Being a good samaritan is serving without measure, seeking service for service sake bothers me.

Love should come from within by intellectual understanding, practice of loving, devotion to the loved

Gandhi served his country, but service was not his goal he served his country by serving mankind by his NON-Violent actions on non-conforming to British Commonwealth which overthrew the UK rule of his country a great service to India and Mankind. I think it was him serving GOD through himself and not serving as we seem to want to speak all over this blog.

[Anne Naylor - Huffpost Blogger]

Beautiful post, thank you John. As I read it, I feel soothed inside because it speaks the truth to me and inspires me towards my next action of service. It does not take much to serve and yet the rewards are so magnificent within me.

God bless you continuing to serve in all the many ways that you do.

With love,
Anne

[Eli Davidson - Huffpost Blogger]

Dear John,
Thank you!!! I hope our world gets the "juice' of service that you have shared in this wonderful post.

As my friend for well over 20 years you have consistently been an example of being willing to serve.

Serve. Serve all. Serve when it wasn't convenient. Simply serve.

Your continual kindness, guidance and support are the gold standard of what a life devoted to service means to me. I know that you are a guy that walks the talk of what you are writing about. This sure inspires me to stand up a little taller and take a bigger step in giving to others.

[GrammaShirah]

I too believe that service is the best therapy for what ails us. I have spent a life of service as a teacher, minister, and friend. Now that I am 70 years old and retired my physical body is not letting me serve as much as I'd like. I am learning to use the internet to give encouragement and support to others. If you guys can think of other ways I can serve without leaving my house, I am open to guidance. In light and love Gramma Shirah

[Tatiana Jimenez-T]

Hi. I used to be a Volunteer Coordinator for a beautiful non-profit and there as so many ways I saw people could serve form home: making calls to recruit other volunteers to do the physical work, computer transcripts, writing thank you e-mails... It is incredible how much value a willing person can bring to a group-especially if they have the service attitude.

You might want to check out www.msia.org or www.pts.org, give them a call. The department of J-R library is keen on "volunteers from home". They are always looking for good-hearted and talented volunteers. In Loving, Tatiana

[Dr. Cara Barker - Huffpost Blogger]

How great to find you on the HP, John! I've always been impressed with the fact of your continuing service on the Planet. Although it has been many years since seeing you, it is clear that your Light is shining brightly.

Blessings your way,
Cara

[Glamorosa]

John you are to me a fine example of "One who serves and demonstrates that in all you do".

Love and light Nathalie

[cktirumalai]

There are those who spontaneously notice that someone is carrying bags and quickly spring to hold the door open, and those who do not notice because they are too caught up in themselves. Service is the natural expression of a developed person, who will always find helpful things to do, in matters large and small.
Here is a curious bit of research: altruism (selfless action of different kinds), it seems, is good for the person who does them. In other words, selflessness "pays." I think myself that the truly altruistic are selfless even where they have to pay a price themselves in personal comfort.