When we look around, there are numerous voluntary service projects surrounding us. Even though it is voluntary, a lot of people are willing to do it. But why? It is widely accepted that service is good, we don’t have to question anything. Due to this, without any aversion, we have accepted the goodness of service and started practicing it quickly. I am convinced that a lot of people believe that service work is good for whoever does it and receives it. Why do people do service? If this question is asked to many people who are currently doing it, they would answer as if the service benefits them. It is more about what they get, not about God. We all know that even if something looks great for its appearance, if it does not glorify God, then …show more content…
Generally, people often assume the service as simply helping out the poor because they have more earthly goods that them. Lewis mentions that is not how it should be. Anyone who are doing the service comments that they serve others because they care for the people who are in need, we all are the children of God and we need to love each other as we love ourselves. We can clearly see that our feelings are deeply involved in the reasons why we voluntarily serve. We shall not misunderstand the earthly feelings with the charity. Serving in the name of charity should be done regardless of the earthly feelings. Lewis states, “Love, in the Christian sense, is that we are born with about ourselves and ought to learn to have about other people” (Lewis 129). Charity means love: having love for others and serving them with the right motive. Feelings for others cannot simply be generated, especially good emotions. Therefore, as Christians, we should do it without thinking too much about it. People say they do service because we love those people we serve. As human, we know that do not just love people as they are. I believe this is where Christian love, charity, comes in. We simply need to believe that we love them regardless and begin doing the service, then as …show more content…
Though many people might not agree with him because of his bluntness and might accuse him for generalizing his feelings towards service with everyone’s, I agree that whether we agree or not, most of the feelings he describes about serve is accurate. I do agree that service is not simple. Service might seem simple because it seems like all people need to do is simply go out there where the help is needed, put smile on their face and they are good to go. There is a lot more to that. Just like C.S. Lewis said, doing service is same as having relationship with others and God, and that is definitely not
Drawing a distinction between being for someone and being with someone, Father Boyle writes: “Jesus was not a man for others. He was one with others. Jesus didn’t seek the rights of lepers. He touched the leper even before he got around to curing him. He didn’t champion the cause of the outcast. He was the outcast.” Such a distinction has significant implications for understanding ourselves in relation to others. While being for someone implies a separateness, a distinction between “them” and “us”, being with someone requires the recognition of a oneness with another, a unity that eradicates differences and binds people together. “’Be compassionate as God is compassionate’, means the dismantling of barriers that exclude,” writes Father Boyle. Accordingly, true compassion is not only recognizing the pain and suffering of others – it is not just advocating for those in need. It is being with others in their pain and suffering – and “bringing them in toward yourself.” Indeed, scripture scholars connect the word compassion to the “deepest part of the person,” showing that when Jesus was “moved with pity”, he was moved “from the entirety of his
In Martin Luther’s Freedom of a Christian Man, Luther describes what he believes should be the relationship between faith and good works in the life of Christian people. His beliefs became integral to the Protestant and Lutheran ideologies. The basis of Luther’s pamphlet was “A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.” (31) This central thought provides readers dialogue on what is truly a selfless, act and if these acts do in fact have an effect on one’s
The content of Mere Christianity, written by C.S. Lewis, found its beginnings as a radio series in 1942 through 1944. During this time Britain was at the start of another war and the frontlines pushed into their own streets. The situation at hand prompted Lewis to share his thoughts in several wartime broadcasts about the problem with pain, suffering, and evil. These talks were gathered and revised to address a reader audience into the book Mere Christianity. Though there is nothing mere about Christianity when one dives deep into the wonders of God and his work, C.S. Lewis eloquently and clearly presents an apologetic examination of the Christian faith and man’s connection to it.
Winthrop, J. (2008). A Model for Christian Charity. In N. Baym (Ed.), The Norton Anthology of American Literature Volume 1 (pp. 82). New York: W.W. Norton & Company.
Remen points out that “helping” a community makes the indebted to the helpers, while serving one requires engaging in the unity with the community, creating a common ground. She also focuses on the assumptions implied by certain words, for example, for one to fix a problem or community implies that it was, before your assistance, broken or lacking. I agree that it is important to be conscientious of words choice and understand the disconnect that sometimes happens between intentionality and reality. However, I had a difficult time grappling with Remen’s preference for the word “service” which I feel implies the one serving is inferior, which doesn’t so much fix the initial dichotomy but simply reverses the roles. Furthermore I felt that her definition and emphasis on service had religious overtones that made me uncomfortable with what she was presenting and made it more difficult for me to relate to and digest her
This past summer, I acquired an internship at Baldwin and Lyons, an insurance company in Indianapolis. Every Wednesday during my internship, a couple of employees and I would participate in a prodigious community service project, Meals on Wheels. Throughout the three months that I worked at Baldwin and Lyons, I got acquainted with some of the individuals whom we delivered to. These inspiring individuals were so grateful and appreciative that we took time out of our day to volunteer to do such a service. One elderly woman who we delivered to would sing to us as she came to the front door “good meals, good meals, good meals.” She is one woman that I will never forget. First going into this, I was elated knowing I was I getting out of the office for a few hours. I did not comprehend the fulfillment I would receive from delivering meals to the elderly and disabled. But I am pleased and proud of the work that I have done for Meals on Wheels. There is no better feeling than doing something for someone else and seeing such gratitude for something so simple. Acts 20:35 says, “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Peterson). In an effort to revisit and make a difference in my community, I have arranged that over Thanksgiving break, I work Monday through Wednesday delivering for Meals on Wheels of Central Indiana.
In the article “God’s Heart for the Poor,” Dr. Jay W. Richards, a famous author, claims that Christians should have both heart and mind in order to help the poor and become a true, good neighbor. He uses some Bible verses to teach the readers about the importance of being a good neighbor and uses The Piety Myth to explain how Christians should “exercise prudence” and connects this concept to the economics.
Volunteering is productive. It also gives a satisfying feeling, knowing that one is helping people in need. Last year, in the process of getting confirmed in the Catholic Church, this writer preformed charity work such as serving food to homeless people at the Dorothy Day House. At first it seemed that doing charity work would be boring, but it was actually fun, helped people, and made a difference in their lives.
As many people will agree, Christ can be referred to, as Kierkegaard’s states it, “the prototype” (239). In other words, Christ lived in such an ethical and loving way that many people admire. Therefore, we can safely say that in following Christ’s “footprints” (238), we are closer to being more ethical and loving individuals. Consequently, in becoming involved with this service-learning project, I have come to realize that I, and everyone in general, do hold a moral responsibility towards complete strangers. This is most evident when regarding our religious background since I, and anyone else for that matter, cannot truly claim to being an ethical individual if we are stuck being admirers and do not alter in becoming imitators.
All my life I have known that I was placed on this earth to help people. As far as I can remember, I have been doing things to help other people. From helping my mother in the kitchen, to assisting my friends in class, I have always felt joy in my heart helping other people. Furthermore, at a young age, my father would take me and my other siblings to food kitchens and other nonprofits organizations gear towards helping the needed to volunteer. While volunteering, I was unaware of the fact that the seed of compassion was being planted into my heart. As a child, I learned how to love people and to help those who are in need.
In Winthrop’s “A Model of Christian Charity”, he expresses his ideas and opinions on the difference within the body of Christians, wealth in a spiritual society. In today’s modern view of Christian charity, Christians tend to spread charity through simply giving to the less fortunate, or spreading God’s endless love through acts of kindness. While many believe that John Winthrop’s writing does not connect with today’s view of Christian charity, “A Model of Christian Charity” shares certain aspects of writing with the modern Christian notion of what charity should be. Examples of Christian charity would be, the spiritual obedience of helping the poor, and the idea that Christians must stick together in troublesome times.
My service is appreciated by my church where I have volunteered for years in many projects.
There are times when serving can become a distraction for us. When such occurs you keep your focus on Jesus.
Class notes. Man’s Desperate Need of Righteousness and God’s Glorious Provision of Righteousness. Faith Christian University. Orlando, Florida. August 2011.
If we open our lives and give service to those less fortunate than ourselves, we allow our hearts to receive immeasurable happiness. When we sacrifice our time to help someone in need, whether it is a great or small need, we become a part of their life and can help alleviate heavy burdens. Making time to help people in need creates opportunities for us to develop new and lasting relationships. Serving our fellowmen allows the best in each of us to shine through and we can become examples to our children.