To serve man

When you are asked to serve, and it really doesn’t matter what, what is your response?     Not now, I don’t have the time, I’m too busy, I did it last week, I’ll just get in the way or just say no…Maybe your one of the few who actually says yes.  Can you imagine if everyone said yes all the time, every request for service would be filled to overflowing.

This may be a bit on the dreamy side but really try to imagine if everyone who needed service got it and that is just for those who had the courage to ask.  Now imagine if everyone, not just service organizations or companies looking for extra help, good and honest help mind you, but what if every individuals needs were met and service to each and every one of them was performed.  No one’s needs would be forgotten or left undone and the entire community would be filled with the happiness of both the giver and the receiver.

Grass would  cut, trash picked up, weeds removed, food delivered and smiles shared, there would be arms to hang on and shoulders to cry on, faces to look up to and hands to hold,  legs to run errands and fingers to caress and the entire community would be as one.  There would be no poor among us, nor would there be any in need or desperate, there would only be the served and the servant and all of us would become a Zion People.

When the program “Just Serve” (an LDS, the mormons, program) was first introduced it was started as “Helping hands” and all I had to worry about was serving one day per year, I could do that, plus I got a T-shirt to wear.  But now with “Just Serve” the responsibility not only falls on me but requires a commitment to show up and follow through, how can one “Just Serve” if he doesn’t show up, plus I doubt their giving out T-shirts?

This is a new level of thinking, a new paradigm of responsibility and brings new meaning to the scripture “If ye have served the least of my brethren, ye have served me”.  There is a new definition to service that not only asks us to share our time and talents but an opportunity to not only serve our brothers and sisters but to directly serve the Lord. 

Who amongst us would not be comfortable in asking one of our children to help another of our children if we as parents were unable or unavailable?  We would do so directly if we could but when the service is needed the service needs to be done and if a sibling can help, so be it.  Do we feel guilty asking for their help, of course not, would we help if we could, absolutely?  As sibling would you deny your parents request, not likely and you would serve as if you were your parent, doing what is right and needful.

We have been asked by our Father to serve our Brothers and Sisters and his children and in so doing we are serving our God.  Whether it is a simply phone call made to help another or fixing a roof of a needy widow.  If it’s spending time with the elderly or babysitting for others they are all our brothers and sisters, in the church or out of the church, we are all family.

I have to admit that having to be asked to serve more, when I already have a large family was at first like asking me to be a better parent, I’m doing the best I can and I’m not even sure what I can do to be better.   I know I can be better, we all can; I just wasn’t prepared to be asked to step up to the plate without even going into the batter’s box.  But the prospect of having to make that change now and serve more…NOW, was a bit overwhelming.

And then I started to think…I know here he goes again…but think about it…When is the best time to step up?  Yesterday would have been great, a life time ago would have been better I’m sure.  Tomorrow may be too late, so all we have left is NOW and the Lord knows it’s this now that is the most important, and just to let you know that I’m not just blowing smoke or swinging my bat in the batter’s box, I did log onto the site for Just Serve and I did make a call to the Perris Train Museum and I will (most likely, if time permits, if the weathers nice, if, if, if) show up and serve in some capacity.

If we all did just one thing for someone else Zion I suspect would not be that far away…