“And whoever would be first among you
must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to
serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many”
- Mark 10:44-45
Feelings of entitlement, superiority, ego, narcissism, and
various others common to man are what makes the concept of selfless-service
almost foreign to most. Many are so consumed with ‘self’ that ‘others’ seldom
matter.
According to Indian religions, selfless Service -known as ‘Seva’-
means helping others in need without the thought of receiving any reward or
repayment in return. It is our moral duty to help others in any way we can. Selfless
service is not limited to immediate family and friends alone, a selfless
servant’s arm should spread far and wide and should be devoid of favourtism and
selective compassion. “Service to man is service to God” – Swami Vivekananda.
The illusion that selfless service is limited to those with
sizable wealth is baseless. The word service is not limited to funds alone. Oxford
dictionary defines service as ‘the ACTION of doing work for someone’, it also
defines service as ‘an ACT of assistance’. From assisting an elderly woman in
crossing the road, to handing that coin to the beggar in the street, to running
errands free of charge, to donating money to a charity organization- all count
as service.
In the words of the founder of the Seva foundation, Daniel
Scott, “helping out is not some special skill. It is not the domain of rare
individuals. It is not confined to a single part of our lives. We simply heed
the call of that natural impulse within and follow it where it leads us”.
The absence of ‘Self’ in service means actions done and
assistance given is in not carried out for self-gratification.
Selfless-servants do not give because they expect anything in return. The bible
says there is more blessing in giving than receiving (Acts 20:35). Many minds
corrupted with the rules of business would argue that investing, spending,
giving without returns is bad investing.
Truth be told, for every action, there is a reaction. It might
be called Selfless Service, but in the end, you do some service to yourself as
well. In the words of Swami Sivanandaji, ‘by doing service, you purify your
heart. Egoism, hatred, jealousy, idea of superiority vanish. Humility, pure
love, sympathy, tolerance, and mercy are developed- you feel unbounded joy’.
Most people are motivated to grow themselves for their
benefit- what exactly is your reason for living?
To work 10 hours 5 days a week, earn money, build wealth,
procreate, spend, and earn more money till death ends the routine? Millions
live like this.
Everyone has a higher purpose beyond earning wealth and
material possession. Amassing wealth for one’s self alone is like a man having
a locked first-aid box with medication needed by everyone around. He holds on
to the keys till his last breath, thereafter, he is separated forever from the treasures
he held onto tightly. He could have changed lives, he could have brought
healing and happiness to many, he could have lived a fulfilled life, a life
with purpose.
“the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the
lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”- Luke
10:2
Become a worker for the lord, render help to his people, be
one more labourer in this field bursting with harvest.
Be a Selfless Servant.
