Serving Others
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others” (Mahatma Gandhi). Searching for the answer to why we’re here, discovering our purpose, and longing to make a difference is the essence of spirituality. Regardless of which religion, or denomination, we are on this quest of discovery together. This summer, our Tuesday morning Bible Study is comparing the different faith traditions around the country and globe. During our discussion, I was reminded of my deep love for Gandhi, which I had forgotten.
By the end of WWII, India had gained its independence largely through the inspiration of Gandhi. He lead hunger strikes, encouraged laborers to standup to the British taking advantage of them, and he stressed the importance of non-violent disobedience. After law school in London, Gandhi ditched the suit and tie and lived among the poor back in his native land. He applied what he learned. Similar to Jesus, he met people where they were in order to serve them.
The only path toward creating the church that God intended is through serving others. The only message that fundamentally matters for the church is the call to effectively and abundantly love and serve others. There is no Christ outside of love and service. Any other depiction of Christ is not Christ at all. As a church, we’ve been in our building long enough. The time has come to apply what we’ve learned about Jesus. The fate of the church depends on our ability to serve, not ourselves, but the poor and less fortunate.
Both Jesus and Gandhi teach us that serving others cannot be done without being in relationship with those in need. The first step is meeting people, getting to know their needs, hearing their stories, and walking alongside the neglected. Fear prevents us from building these relationships and far too many people in positions of power profit by making sure these relationships do not occur. This is why Jesus and Gandhi were both arrested and killed in their time. We cannot let fear paralyze us from living the Gospel.
What else prevents us from doing Christ’s work? Those things are what God is calling us to find the courage to overcome. God will meet us there, among the poor. That spiritual nudge that inspires us to make life meaningful... that’s God. God calls us not only to serve others, but in doing so, to fill our lives with purpose. Living for others is synonymous with living for ourselves. Each person you meet presents an opportunity to serve them. Each person you meet presents and opportunity to experience God.
Striving toward abundant life,
Pr. Lucas
Photo by Annie Sprat