servant's heart

When you hear the word “service” what do you think of? Most people think of simple community service. You know, things like donating canned food to a homeless shelter or washing cars for a good cause. These things do make an impact, and they are considered service, but is that really all there is to service? Is service simply a quick detour on the way to work to drop some of our old clothes off at the local thrift store? Yes, these things are important, but is that really all there is to it? Why do we do service? Is it out of obligation, pity, or maybe even competition? Do we serve because we want to, or because we want to be a good person and feel that a little service here and there will help us achieve that goodness and make us feel a little bit better about ourselves and maybe the areas that are not so good in our lives? Or maybe we serve out of pity. Do we serve because we see a need and feel such strong compassion that we want to be able to help, or do we complete simple tasks simply because we feel sorry for someone who is “poor” or “needy”. I think that sometimes serving with a competitive spirit can be an issue as well. Do I really serve because I want to? Let’s be honest. Has something like this ever run through your head: “…my friend Sally got a pat on the back for her 3 hours of service and my 2 hours were overlooked! I mean think about it…I did just as much as she did. I gave up my time. I drove all the way to the apartment complex and tutored those kids just as long as she did. I worked just as hard, exercised just as much patience. Why did no one notice what I did? I guess I’ll just have to work harder next time.” If you serve with that attitude do you think it really counts as service? In the world’s eyes it is service. In the world’s eyes this makes you a better American, citizen, and person. But think about it. If you serve with those motives has anything really been accomplished? Yes, tutoring children is a great thing, but if you do it with a poor attitude and a competitive spirit are you really impacting the child? I think the selfishness of our society makes it difficult for us to truly serve. We have a difficult time thinking of someone in need as our equal. It’s much easier for us to look down on them and see if we can figure out how to pull them up to our level instead of realizing that we are no different than they. They are just as much a person as we are. They too have feelings, a soul, and things about them that make them special and unique. They have gifts and abilities that others might not be good at, they have faults and fears and hopes and dreams. They are no different. Service is about realizing that it is not about me. Service is about putting someone before you, simply because you care. Service is about turning a "they" into a "we" with love and compassion as the driving force.