Simple Acts of Service

clip_image001The first question which the priest and the Levite asked was: "If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?" But...the good Samaritan reversed the question: "If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?”

 Martin Luther King Jr.

Being able to reverse the situation and letting go of the “I” mentality has paved the way to the attainment of peace for many of us. It is in this sense that we unconsciously practice selfless love, the outcome creating a thousand ripples of constructive changes.

A man in tattered clothes, shivering in the cold, with palms raised to the heavens for mercy’s sake, is in need of help, something tangible that would satisfy his worldly hunger. Praying alone wouldn’t be of much help, the moment calling one of us to do some concrete action.

A family member, struck by illness, needs special care and attention. Giving the prescribed medication, taking care of his personal needs, and simply encouraging him with a love one’s presence, are sure-fire ways to his speedy recovery.

A weeping friend over love lost deserves to be comforted, not judged, and to be understood, not mocked. A gentle pat on the shoulder, a warm hug, a sweet smile, and an assurance that she is loved may be all she needs.

An irritated passenger’s heart may melt if reciprocated with a warm smile. An angry tone may soften if countered by kind gestures. A depressed soul may be filled with hope if showered with tender love and affection. A boring life may be lit with dazzling neon hues with a sudden change of perspective – God’s perspective.

Life is more than beautiful if founded on a deeper urge to love and share love – that kind of love which springs from the fountain of God’s grace and mercy. One selfless love, that of Jesus Christ’s, is the very foundation, leading one to a life of joy and abundance. And it is fit for a man to serve his brethren, either at home, in the office, in his circle of friends, amidst the busy hustle in the city, and in his spiritual community where one receives nourishment, enjoys deep friendships, and grows more in wisdom and love for God.

Acts of service. Selfless love. Unreserved generosity. Unadulterated humility. These are precious values that every man should live by, for what the wailing world basically needs is a heart overflowing with love and grace. The world needs you as it needs me. The world needs us, each persona playing a key role in the world’s giant tableau.

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