Loving service makes us mighty and strong!

A full and rich life cannot be had without giving service to others. It is in service to others that we acknowledge and appreciate our oneness with all life. There are so many different ways to live a life of service. I think we sometimes believe that in order for our service to be substantial it must also be highly visible and dramatic.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Everybody can be great … because anybody can serve.” There are many ways to serve. I’ve come to see that being kind with everyone I meet is an extraordinary act of service. To treat people with love and kindness regardless of what they’re doing, or how they’re treating me is to serve God in the most direct way. While this may appear to be simple it can often be challenging and nearly impossible. Sometimes it is hard to even have a kind thought about someone who has treated me badly. Yet this is precisely when it is of the greatest service.

It is so easy to match a person’s anger with more anger. To remain in the loving heart, to demonstrate kindness in the face of anger is to turn the other cheek. I must ask myself, who is it that is being served when I’m able to remain loving and kind despite all kinds of provocation? Perhaps the person who is provoking me is giving me the opportunity to be of service. If my intention is to be more loving, can I find the answered prayer in the challenge to be of service?

Today I expand my idea of service to include choosing Love in moments of frustration. Today I look to be of service to the highest possibility of peace, of love, of my heart. Today I am open to the call to serve and to getting past any resistance. Today I am a true practitioner of nonviolence.