Commitment and Integrity

Welcome to Service – The Action Form of Love

How many times do we make a commitment to a friend or family member, and then when asked about it, we say “I forgot”?

For me, I’m afraid it happens too often.

So, here’s your challenge for today:

If you’ve committed to help someone or do something for them, follow through. Keep the commitment you've made to them. It's all part of integrity.

Pretty simple, no?

You can do it!

Thank you for taking time to read today’s challenge. Thank you also for being willing to spread the word and help others learn that Service is The Action Form of Love.

James

Ease A Burden

Welcome to Service – The Action Form of Love

We all have burdens.

Some of us have burdens of work, others of raising and keeping a family fed. Many of us have both.

Today’s challenge is short, sweet and simple:

Help someone with their burden.

Some burdens can’t be easily lifted off the shoulders of the bearer. Some are deeply emotional and psychological. Others are physical burdens like too much work, too little time. Most of us are facing economical burdens because of the economy, fear of losing our jobs or just the stress of watching others lose theirs.

What can you do to help?

Remember, the idea here is to find small and simple ways to serve others. Find one or two little things you can do to help someone who is overburdened.

Maybe you can just let them vent and listen without interrupting.

Maybe you can offer to run an errand for them.

Maybe you can watch their children so they can have a night to themselves.

Small and simple.

That’s what it’s all about.

Thank you for taking today’s challenge – I appreciate you!

Thank you also for being willing to pass this on to others. You, my friend, make a difference.

You “get it”.

You know that Service is The Action Form of Love.

James

Help the Vulnerable

Welcome to Service – The Action Form of Love

Most of us are aware of the vulnerable among us. We know of those who have needs greater than our own, and we know that sometimes, those needs go unmet.

We work and live and play among the disabled, the poverty-stricken and the very old and very young. We see them in our neighborhoods, at the store, at school and at work. Some of them are in our social circles and some are not.

Regardless of our actual interaction with the less-advantaged, we know who they are and we often know their needs.

Can you help them?

That’s today’s challenge.

Find someone who is vulnerable. Talk to them. Assess their needs. Find out how they’re getting along. If they have a need that is going unfilled, see if you can fill it for them.

Don’t be pushy or make them feel like a service project. Be as private as you can. Be as respectful of their dignity as you would want someone to be of yours.

If you can fulfill the need by yourself, by all means, do it with their permission. If it’s something greater than you alone can do, ask their permission to involve someone else.

If permission is granted, do the best that you can. Do it with love and caring and understanding that many of us don’t like others helping us when we can do it ourselves.

Complete the task and see if there is anything else you may do for them.

And then, feel good about what you’ve done. Feel the joy and peace that comes with serving someone else.

Thank you for taking today’s challenge. I know some are easier than others, and this one just may fit into the difficult category for you.

Thank you also for being willing to pass it on. I appreciate you.

Remember always, Service is the Action Form of Love.

James

It's Service Thursday!

Welcome to Service Thursday

Do you want to feel good today? I don't mean, "I got my espresso and cinabun so it's gonna be a productive day" good. I'm talking about the kind of feeling that makes you feel as though you've made a difference. The kind of inner-peace that comes from knowing you have a real honest-to-goodness purpose in life.

I'm talking about the feeling that comes from serving someone else.

Today, September 18, 2008, marks the first Service Thursday.

It's a pretty simple concept, really - a "bite sized" idea if you will.

All I'm asking you to do is find one person, family or organization and do something nice for them today.

You can smile at someone who you can tell has just had it with life. You can be their shoulder to cry on; their sounding board.

You don't have to solve their problems (though you know you would if you could). Sometimes it just helps to have someone hear you out.

Be that person.

Or, you can stop and ask a "street person" if they would like lunch. You don't have to spend a lot of money, maybe five, six bucks. Get them a dollar burger and a soda. How about a sandwich? Maybe you can intersperse some encouraging words when you take their order. You might be pleasantly surprised to discover that in their history, you share something in common.

Be the one who makes their life just a little easier.

Or, after you load your own groceries in the car, you can hang around for a few minutes just to see if someone else has a load they're having a hard time with. Ask them if they would like help. They may say no. They may be suspicious of your motives. That's okay. Smile if your offer is declined. Move on and find someone else.

Be the person who at least offered to help.

You get the idea.

One of my very favorite quotes comes from an ancient wise leader named King Benjamin.

He said: "When you are in the service of your fellow being, you are only in the service of your God."

I take that to heart.

Service projects don't have to be weildly and time consuming. Sometimes, people just need to know they're not alone in the world. They need to know someone cares and is interested in their humanity.

Be that person.

And, remember, Service is the Action Form of Love!

James