“Are You Being Served?”, a 70s-era sitcom featuring colorful characters and somewhat bawdy double entendre, depicts life in a department store in London. If you appreciate dry British humor, you may have caught a few episodes. Otherwise, except for its title, it has absolutely nothing to do with this post. So, are you being served? More importantly, are you serving others?
By definition, service is the action of helping or doing work for someone, but did you know that it can help to lower your blood pressure? Studies indicate that the very act of giving back to the community boosts your happiness, health, and sense of well-being. The Mental Floss article below explains 7 scientific benefits of helping others.
https://mentalfloss.com/article/71964/7-scientific-benefits-helping-others
Time. Talent. Money. We all have varying quantities of each. While I am the first to admit we can’t be all things to all people, I firmly believe we can be ONE thing to someONE.
While our first priority is provision for ourselves and our families, the fact remains that a very small percentage of people in this country live in ‘extreme poverty’. I’ve heard it said, that if you have a $10 bill in your pocket, you are wealthier than 75% of the world’s population. Say what???
I cannot prove that percentage is accurate, but the following statistics have been validated:
- 736 million people live in extreme poverty, surviving on less than $1.90 a day.
- More than half of the world’s extreme poor, 413 million people, live in sub-Saharan Africa, an increase of 9 million people from two years earlier.
- In the Middle East and North Africa, the number of people living in extreme poverty nearly doubled in two years, from 9.5 million to 18.6 million, mainly due to the crises in Syria and Yemen.
https://www.worldvision.org/sponsorship-news-stories/global-poverty-facts
Children live what they learn, and with each subsequent generation of prosperity and entitlement, the joy of helping and serving others is being eradicated. I would even venture that we are derelict in our responsibilities, robbing our children of the privilege of service, if we do not encourage it.
Children also learn what they live, and service to others should be taught at the first opportunity. This might include taking them along to visit an elderly neighbor or allowing them to assist with the preparation of a meal for a sick friend. As a child gets older, they may volunteer to deliver food or care packages, taking the time to visit with the recipients.
Observing the plight of those less fortunate can boost our level of appreciation and gratitude. For a child, this can be a life-altering experience as they recognize and compare their own abundance. Conversely, a child on the receiving end of the service will also be touched and invigorated.
Seven years ago, this lovely young woman was the first recipient of an Extreme Room Makeover. Our community service committee selected her because she had recently been the victim of a home invasion. At the time, she was a terrified 9 year old child, unable to sleep in her own room.
In a letter of gratitude, she explained how we, as strangers, entered her life at a time when she felt no trust. She described us as “good samaritans” who became her friends. With restored confidence, she professed a desire to help others in need when she got older. Mae and her lovely mom, Colleen, are my good friends and we continue to see each other socially. In fact, I have the pleasure of hosting Mae for her 16th birthday celebration this month!
I find it ironic, that with the explosion of social media platforms, we are becoming distinctly and increasingly unsocial- almost antisocial. We interact electronically with our children and close friends. Few of us know the names of our neighbors. A friend of mine told me he built a spectacular game room for his teen son, complete with all the latest bells and whistles, only to be told that his friends prefer to game separately. His disappointment was obvious, as he explained how he would have loved a room like that, when he was a boy.
Please understand, my intention is not to demonize social media, electronics, or the Internet. All of these are good and beneficial in many ways. What troubles and perplexes me is the lack of healthy balance and moderation, resulting in “electronic addiction”, for lack of a better term. We all recognize, and may even be intimately familiar with, the resultant collateral damage such as divorce, caused by emotional adultery, pornography and gambling.
Our kids face cyberbullying and diminished problem-solving skills, as well as a real threat from predators and identity theft. As much as the internet assists in my daily life, there are times I would gladly exchange it for those simpler days that no longer exist. Is there anyone over the age of 50, that is with me on this one?
In my opinion, the most insidious side effect of social media is the power it exercises over a person’s self-control and good manners. Apparently, the buffer zone of anonymity allows one to disparage and belittle an opponent’s point of view on any given subject. Incredibly, the bad behavior escalates to venomous, malicious hate speech, when the subject turns political.
Fortunately, even amid these disturbingly toxic confrontations, I see good things, as well. Prayer requests, affirmations, donations, food and clothing drives and many more benefits of the internet are being utilized in support of, and in service to, one another. Praise God, hallelujah!
Last month, I was bestowed CityMaker status in Lakeland, FL my current city of residence. A monthly award from the mayor, the recipient is nominated by their peers. He or she has been deemed to have made a perceptible improvement or gone the extra mile for someone or something in the city. Initially, I had a big problem with any kind of personal recognition, largely because God’s Word in Matthew 6:1-4 is quite clear.
“Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.”
Simply put, I was being prospered to my heart’s content, and had no desire to interrupt the flow of blessings from my Heavenly Benefactor.
It took a very special young woman to convince me that my story would benefit and encourage others. She pointed out that my example may motivate others to want to serve. The clincher came when she promised to tell my story truthfully and honestly, giving all the honor and glory to God.
I am sharing the story here, not out of self-aggrandizement, but merely to remind others of the joy that awaits those who participate in selfless service.
I am not a hero, nor do I deserve a pedestal. I am simply doing what each of us is called to do. Remember that Jesus washed the feet of His disciples the night before His crucifixion. His message to them, and to us, is crystal-clear. We are to love and care for one another. When we serve each other, we are serving Him.
As I write this post, Hurricane Dorian is currently over the Bahamas and the spaghetti models show differing degrees of impact on the southeast coast of Florida. Classified as a Category 5 hurricane at the moment, sustained winds are 185 MPH with gusts to 220 MPH. Even if the storm skirts the coast and avoids a direct hit, there will be flooding, damaging winds and probable power outage. I encourage everyone reading this to pray that the storm turns harmlessly out to sea and that no lives are lost. When the storm has passed, please remember to assist one another with the clean up and share your resources. May God bless all of my readers for your support and encouragement. Shalom!
Marie, what a wonderful post. You said it so well…young people’s lives are so influenced by all the electronics. I don’t know what the answer is, but it is so scary to see how little they talk to each other and socialize. It has changed our world. We CAN continue to pray for them and encourage them in every way possible. You are doing an outstanding job in Lakeland. We are so proud of you and all you do…continue to be God’s Messenger here on earth. Love you and miss you. Maq and Daq
God has helped so many others with servitude. We are blessed to be called your friend and keep you in our prayers. All praise to our Heavenly Father 🙏.
I’ve been struggling with what to say to you because I know you don’t want to be praised in any way so what I will say is thank you for listening to the Lord and following His lead. I know He is saying “we’ll done good and faithful servant.”
Grateful. Praying for the people in the Bahamas.