Hands. . . .

So apparently, today is the National Day of Service. I did not know this. I wish I would've known this because I would much rather be out doing good in the world, instead of manning an empty office. But here I am, and here I write. This idea of a day of service reminds me of a conversation I had just yesterday about people of the world. I will explain . . .

A friend and I were discussing a recent event in which a person, through evident rage, accused someone else of things that we know were fabricated and exaggerated beyond reason. That these accusations were not the first and will no doubt, not be the last. This person doesn't even know the accused personally, only in passing, and still has created such anger towards them as to threaten their livelihood, character, and moral standing.

This friend and I discussed and contemplated why someone would do such a thing. Why would someone fixate upon a stranger to the point of becoming a maniacal person and plot the demise of their "foe". Why? My thought was this, that the Natural Man is after power. That power is what the world sees to be supreme. And that you should do anything to attain that power, including but not limited to, tearing others down. You can take almost any situation where two forces come together against each other and define it as a struggle for power. Our brother Lucifer wanted power. He wanted all the glory for himself. Is it no wonder his only goal is to tempt us and make Christ's plan fail. That way his plan will work and will overthrow God's plan giving Satan ultimate power. So being that the earth and all who dwell on it are considered fallen from grace and in a natural man state, I believe the earth in majority is after power. That the natural man views power as absolute.

Now, this brings me to the opposite side of the spectrum. If the Natural Man = Need for Power, what do you think the Spiritual Man is after? I believe in the comparison, that the spiritual man is after the giving up of power. Unlike Satan, Christ taught us to serve our fellow men. Instead of tearing them down, we should build them up. Even to the point of turning the other cheek. One of the greatest examples I think of are when Christ washed the feet of his disciples and then asked them to go out and wash the feet of their fellow men. John 13:1-17 Christ knew that Judas was to betray him, yet he washed his feet. In that simple act, Christ showed love for the one who would turn him over to those that would crucify him. Christ was given great power from God, and yet he set it aside to serve not only those He loved, but those who did not believe in Him.

How apposing those two sides are to each other. What other completely different paths can two men take? The same goes for us, which path should we take? The choice is ultimately up to us, we do have our free agency. However, there is one idea that I hold to be a guide of truth to help me navigate my journey as a natural man and also as a spirit. I believe that things of this earth are influenced of Satan. So whatever the world/majority deems important is not. And whatever the world/majority sees to be unimportant, truly is. This is my answer for many of my theoretical "forks in the roads" of life. It has brought me inner strength to know that regardless of how the world sees what I do and how I think, I know that the Lord supports me, and THAT is all that matters to me.

So as this day of service commences, I will continue to reflect upon the nature of service and the greatest exemplar of such in hopes that I will become more like him.

So I ask you, Have you done any service today?